Dining on Apricots
by AllisonWalker
Summary: Meeting up again by chance after years apart, old acquaintances grow closer over dinner. Azureshipping Seto/Anzu
1. Chapter 1: Street Food

Nothing was prettier than Domino in spring. All the trees were blossoming as the snow began to disappear, revealing pink buds on the branches. Soon the cherry trees would be in full bloom, and the entire city would be at the park, celebrating the festivals of rebirth. Especially since most people were stuck in lock down in their homes, trying to escape the storms that never seemed to cease after the New Year's season.

For someone like Anzu, this was the best time of the year. Not only was school about to come to an end, but she had just received good news. Holding a white piece of paper in her hands, she nearly skipped through the park, oblivious to all the looks she was attracting. Nothing at that point mattered to her. What could rival an internship in New York? Sure, it wasn't the best dance studio in the city, but it was one of the more competitive schools. Something that would set her apart from all the other girls…

It was going to be the stepping stone for many great things to come. The Anzu knew, in the back of her mind, most of the people doubted her drive. They saw a young woman whose head was full of fantasy, of unrealistic dreams that would end as soon as some young man would tie her down. Her mother, of all people, was hoping for it. A daughter of doctors didn't belong on a dance stage. Maybe next to a surgeon (her husband of course), but not top a stage.

Anzu ignored them, slaving away at the Burger World to afford her dance classes at Domino University. It didn't matter if her snobbish parents wouldn't pay for the real education she desired. Sure, she would get that minor in English that they so desired, but her major would be Dance. No one would change her mind.

"I should celebrate tonight," she mused.

Yugi had left Domino right after high school ended. Last Anzu heard, the competitive teenage boy had gone to California to help Duke with his Dungeon Dice franchise, still dueling just like before. Along with him went Jonouchi, who wasn't one to stay in school any longer than he had to. Going over to the states fitted his agenda, looking for something new and different after years of Japan and his drunken father's reputation within his community at home. There was also the gang and his police records… California was good for the ex-teen delinquent.

Now Anzu Mazaki was alone. A few people were still close by, like Honda, Ryou, and Miho, but most people had moved on. Duel monsters had moved on. Everyone was looking forward to the next best thing, and a city like Domino was always looking towards the future. It wanted to rival Tokyo in all things new and bright, and with a very enthusiastic and young CEO who controlled nearly all the city, that shinning dream was possible.

"Maybe I can get a hold of Ryou," thought Anzu out loud, "I saw him in class yesterday. He's not the type to run off during the weekends."

Picking her phone out of her pocket, she dialed the boy's number, waiting for his characteristically soft voice to come over through the receiver. There was nothing though. Just the countless ringing and the answering machine playing its favorite tune.

"This is Bakura Ryou speaking. I'm not at the phone right now, but if you leave a message and call back number, I'll get back to you as soon as possible. Thank you!"

"Shit," muttered Anzu, closing the small pink cell before stuffing it back into her pants pocket. It wasn't what she was hoping for, and with any luck, she'd be alone all night. The housemate was gone again with her boyfriend, and wouldn't be back until next Monday. By then, it would be too busy with dance recital and classes to go out and enjoy the good news. There was never enough time.

"I guessI shouldn't bother calling, since its Saturday. Everyone probably has plans by now. This is always happening to me when good news comes."

She wrinkled her nose, before shrugging her shoulders and walking towards home. The park was huge, and it was starting to get dark. Thinking back to what her mother always said, young girls should never cut across dark spaces unless they were looking for trouble. And even with the lights on overhead, it didn't stop the park from giving the place an eerie feeling. Like anyone could be hiding behind a pine tree or rock. The brunette already had enough close calls in her life. Picking up the pace, she started skipping quickly over towards her apartment.

Coming up on the corner near the children's playground, the noise of carnival rides stopped her. Turning her head, she could see a huge collection of shinning bright lights and young people, all crowded in the parking lot. Ferris wheels, fun houses, mini roller coasters, and go carts were scattered between gaming booths, attracting hordes of teenagers and children alike. Few things were better than a surprise carnival.

"Maybe I could find Honda or Ryou over there…"

It was completely possible. They both lived near the park, and they enjoyed this sort of thing far more than young men at their age should. Especially Honda, although it was probably because of all the opportunities to try and pick up women and not to play games or ride rides. Jonouchi had rubbed off on him.

The entry ticket was free. Walking in, Anzu looked at everything around her. Glancing at the food stands just made her stomach growl, and maybe some street food for dinner wouldn't be so bad. Sure, it wasn't dancer healthy, but Anzu had to live a little. She couldn't always be denying herself. That made life so damn boring, and clutching onto her growling stomach, she just lacked the will power to stop herself.

Octopus on a stick. Grilled and fresh, the seafood quick treat was just enough to curb her appetite for later. She refused to completely pig out, especially on a whim after months of careful dieting and exercising. Her physique was perfect by beauty standards, but too thick for dancing. More weight needed to come off. Being called fat by the dancer instructor was something Anzu was getting sick of hearing.

"It's not my problem I wasn't born rail thin like those other girls…"

Scowling a little, she walked down the congestion of games and rides, all whirling and buzzing around her. It made her curious too, as to who would put together something like this? There were young kids all over, too. Normally they wouldn't be out in such large mobs, but they seemed to be chaperoned by the random teenager in a black tee-shirt Anzu couldn't make out from a distance. All she could see was the crowding of kids from one line to the next.

Finding a loose paper on the ground, Anzu picked it up and read it. Maybe it would explain the event, because there wasn't any special holiday going on that night. It was pretty normal, and she didn't even remember hearing about the carnival coming.

"The Kaiba Corporation presents the first annual Domino Park Children's Night Charity. Free admission to all children from the following group homes and children's institutions…"

It went on listing several orphanages in the area, which Anzu had never heard of. Like most people, she was ignorant of the plight of dislocated kids… But she did know enough about Kaiba Corporation's elusive Chief Executive Officer. He probably came up with the charitable event himself. Most people would think it was publicity, but after several years being his acquaintance, Anzu knew better.

"He would put something together like this. He would…"

"Do you always make a habit of talking to yourself, Mazaki?"

There was that familiar accusing voice, one the Anzu knew well enough. She didn't need to turn around to figure out who it belonged to. Low and masculine, the complete opposite of her past friend Yugi's, it had to be his longtime rival. Kaiba. Right behind her…

"Those of us from the civilized world usually acknowledge people who are addressing them…"

Grabbing her arms instinctively and frowning slightly, she turned around to be greeted by her long time "friend". No, not a friend, the relationship was more one of acceptance and tolerance. Unlike Jonouchi, the dark haired male didn't have some personal vendetta against Anzu, but just general dislike. However, Anzu couldn't actually remember him liking anyone besides his own brother.

"No, I don't," she answered, "but I don't normally have people sneaking up behind me to listen to my talking to myself either. What are you doing here?"

"Well aren't you the rude one? I let you come here free of charge, and you're asking me what I'm doing at my own function?"

"Most people don't spend their Saturday nights hanging around twelve year olds, Kaiba."

"Yet here you are."

He always had the smuggest of looks, which Anzu just narrowed her eyes in irritation at. It was like every single conversation, if she could even call them that were a competition he had to win. The man didn't talk civilly to anyone, and it was ridiculous. So ridiculous.

"I was just getting ready to leave¸" she answered, clutching her purse to her body, "so if you don't mind, I'm going to cut this conversation short. Just like you, I have things I need to do tomorrow, and hanging out at a kiddie carnival won't help me get any of it done."

"Are you hungry, Mazaki?"

"Excuse me?"

The question caught her way off guard. Was she hungry? What kind of question was that? And why did he care? Sure, she was a little peckish, which was why the girl was still sucking on the octopus stick, even though the actual animal had been eaten minutes ago.

"Are you hungry? I knew you liked hanging out with slow people, Mazaki, but I didn't think you were one too."

That just made her scowl.

"Very funny, I just don't get why you're asking me. Yeah, I'm a little hungry. But I'm not going to eat carnival food, and like I said before, I have things I need to get done. I'll go eat someplace else, where the food isn't all deep fried." 

"Good. I can use the company."

What.

Shaking her head, Anzu just decided to ignore him and start towards her destination. He was probably bored, and messing with someone from the old nerd herd was more entertaining than playing nice with the orphans. She didn't see the younger Kaiba anywhere. By now, he had to be in high school. Maybe freshman year, because they had all graduated two years ago. Mokuba was at least fourteen, if not older.

Heading out, Anzu became very wary once she left the safety of the crowd. It was the park again, and even though she stayed underneath the lamp posts, thugs liked to hang around the trees. They snatched purses, terrorized tourists, and did much worse things, when they knew they couldn't be identified…

"You don't make a habit of cutting through the woods often, do you Mazaki? Because if you do, you'll land yourself in trouble one day, and Yugi's not around to save you anymore."

How long had he been following her? Turning around, she saw his dark figure in the corner of her right eye, walking just behind her. He was unusually quiet, the way he made his way on the gravel path, not kicking up rocks everywhere. Following her like a loyal dog, he didn't seem too bothered by her company. His expression was blank, as if bored.

"No, I don't. And even if I did, I don't think you of all people would give too much of a damn."

"This is my city, of course I care. If they'll attack you, they'll attack my tourists. And I can't have that. It is bad business."

"Of course."

Turning the corner, she finally got to the edge of the park and onto the streets. People were all around, looking for food spots and bars. The neighborhood was full of them, the best places being unmarked. There were dingy looking buildings with nameless doors that opened into small restaurants with only one cook working the grill. But usually, their food was the best.

"I know a place close by. You'll like it," said Kaiba, looking towards a back alleyway. He smirked like he knew something Anzu didn't. And confused, but curious, she didn't argue against him. When the light turned green and he started walking towards the direction of his "place", the much shorter Anzu followed behind, still holding protectively to her purse.

"What is it called?"

"It doesn't have a name. They have grilled gyoza and the like there; similar to that octopus stick you were sucking on earlier. I think you'll appreciate what they have to offer."

He walked confidently into the darkness of an alleyway as if he already knew what lay ahead of him. Not quite as brave, Anzu stuck by close, looking around as she tried to see where it was the man was leading her. Dark and loud from the cries of cars close by, it wasn't the sort of place she'd usually allow herself to be taken to.

Kaiba did find the entrance, though. Opening it, he led Anzu into a haven of smells, all smoky and flavorful. Walking towards the bar, she could see the man towards the back putting skewers of meat onto the grill. They sizzled and hissed, as if upset by their final transformation. Drooling just a little, Anzu waited for Kaiba to figure out where they'd be seating, since he knew the place and she didn't. Maybe he had a spot.

"Stop staring, come on…"

Heading towards the back, Kaiba didn't wait for his guest to keep up. He just walked off, expecting her to stay alongside him, although she did. The promise of food was enough for her, and not wanting to leave the place alone, she'd need to keep Kaiba company.

"What should I get here?"

Sitting at the table across from Kaiba, Anzu looked at her companion. He appeared as he always did; half bored. The expression was always one of indifference, like he had somewhere better to be although he requested her company. Really, she was doing him a favor. Or at least, that's what Anzu reasoned to herself.

"They'll bring us a tray of different things to try. This place doesn't really do meals, per say. Normally it's rice and pickled vegetables, with shrimp, chicken, beef, squid, and octopus along the side. If we're lucky, they'll also give us some gyoza. You'll see."

"Do you come here often?"

"Of course not. Why the hell would I be in this part of town? I heard about this place from a friend. He took me here on a business meeting once. It wasn't that bad, so I thought I'd try it again."

After explaining himself, he shook his head, smiling slightly as if musing over an inside joke. What he was thinking, Anzu didn't know, but she didn't really care either. The man was irritating. He said this part of town as if it wasn't good enough for him, when it was actually one of the nicer parts of town close to the university. If he was any normal young adult, he'd be living there right along Anzu. The only thing separating him from the rest of his peers was mere chance and a lot of money.

"So, how's your gang of losers, Mazaki? I know it's been years, but someone like you would keep up with those nerds. Especially Yugi, since you two seemed to be attached at the hip. It's a surprise you didn't follow him to California. I thought…"

Coughing, he stopped himself, smirking slightly.

"Well, I didn't think you all would separate from each other so quickly. Not after all those declarations of undying friendship going between yourselves."

"They're all fine," answered Anzu, slightly taken back by Kaiba's insightful observations. She didn't know that he had been watching all of them so closely before. Especially not her of all people, since they barely ever talked in the past. Sure, Anzu used to stick closely to Yugi for the longest time, but it wasn't worth paying attention to.

Then again, Kaiba liked to pick people apart. It was how he won duels.

"I haven't talked to Yugi in a long time, but sometimes Jonouchi gives me a call. They seem to like the states, and I don't think any of them will be coming back anytime soon. If I had the finances, I'd go visit them all, but I don't see myself winning the lottery anytime soon."

"Pfft, California is highly overrated. Trust me, someone like you would hate it there."

His face looked slightly more serious when he said that. Anzu couldn't say anything against it, since she never had the chance to go there. Maybe Kaiba was right, maybe Kaiba was wrong. She couldn't see why she wouldn't like a place full of beaches, beautiful people, and world-renown entertainment, but then again, she wasn't well traveled. And Jonouchi probably wasn't the best source of information, either. He liked to blow things out of proportion.

When the food finally came, the conversation died. Eyes drawn to the table, Anzu watched as plate after plate of skewers were laid in front of her. They all looked so good, and with a bottle of sake to top it all off, she couldn't imagine herself finishing it all. Never having seen Kaiba actually eat anything before either, Anzu wasn't exactly sure just how much of it he was planning to put away himself.

"The calamari is really good, by the way. You should try that first."

He immediately went for it, eating the small cut up squid without a hint of remorse. Watching Kaiba's face, Anzu actually thought she saw a hint of pleasure on it, like he was enjoying himself. It wasn't something she normally saw, because the only thing he ever enjoyed was duel monsters. She never would have expected him to have some appreciation for cuisine.

"This is really good. I've never had anything quite like this before."

"Hmpf, you doubted my taste? Really Mazaki, I thought you would have put some faith in me. I know how to judge food."

His expression went a bit sour, like he had a bad taste in his mouth. And washing it down with sake, his blue eyes looked off for a moment, like he was flirting with an idea inside his head. For a second, the expression on his face lightened up. However, it didn't seem to take hold, because his dark countenance returned quickly, as if it had never left.

"Why were you at the park alone?"

Now it was Anzu's change to get all undignified. It wasn't Kaiba's business knowing why she did what she did alone, but not wanting to seem rude, she just decided to answer him anyways. Getting into a fight with him when he was being a decent dinner companion just wasn't really wise.

And she was in some shady restaurant. If he left, she'd be alone.

"Everyone was busy. I tried calling some friends, but they weren't available, and I was on my way home. Usually I cut across the park to get home, and I wasn't counting on bumping into your charity event, let alone end up eating here with you. Really, I was trying to get home."

"Sorry I ruined your plans then."

He didn't sound apologetic at all.

"Kaiba, I didn't have plans. Just tonight I didn't count on any of this. I haven't seen anyone from the dueling days in at least two years, and suddenly you sneak up behind me like we're still in Battle City. I'm actually surprised you remembered my name, because we never talked. So I apologize if I come off as rude, but I'm just trying to figure out your motive."

"Why do I need a motive? Maybe I don't like dinning out alone; did you ever think of that?"

With a snort of his nose and wrinkle of his slim lips, Kaiba looked away sharply. He turned his seat slightly, crossing his legs in that snobbish manner of his that seemed to make his already intimidating persona even worse. It didn't help that his face was far more mature now, too. More than ever, the man looked unnerving.

"I didn't think you were one for socializing. You always went out of your way to snub us those years back. Even in high school, you never talked to anyone. If you wanted friends-"

"Believe me Mazaki, when I say I never wanted friends. Not then, and especially not now. Just because I say I don't like eating alone, doesn't mean I want conversation. Having you here just gives me something to look at besides the food."

"So I'm just a table piece to you then?"

"Possibly."

Her face twitched slightly at that, but she said nothing more. It was a losing battle. Kaiba was going to be rude, because it was just in his nature to act so infuriating. Maybe he was lonely for company, but Anzu certainly didn't feel too bad for him. Not when he hadn't changed at all, since the last time they saw each other.

"Don't be so damn sensitive," he said, finishing the rice and beef medallions without assistance. Using his chop sticks, he made short work of the food, not at all bothered by the fact that his guest hadn't touched much of her own. He gave her a quick look over, shaking his head soon after.

"You don't eat much, do you?"

"I can't afford to."

"Afraid you're growing fat? Really Mazaki, you've thinned out some since high school, and you could use the food. You're too thin."

"Tell that to my dance couch."

"Hmmm…"

His face didn't look so harsh anymore, but maybe that was because the man was drinking. Apparently Kaiba didn't fear the alcohol, pouring shot after shot of sake like it was just water from tap. Anzu rarely ever drank, and watching the man in front of her, she knew that wasn't the case for him.

"I'm trying to get into Julliard."

"Good luck."

"You don't think I can do it?"

Glancing sideways, he snorted before saying, "It's a very competitive school. You'll need all the well wishes you can get."

"I know it's hard to get into. But nothing's impossible. If someone wants something bad enough and they do everything possible to make it happen, then their dreams will come true."

"… Right."

The bill came, and before Anzu could move to pay for her meal, Kaiba gave the waiter his credit card. He didn't even say anything when he signed it, nor when he took his piece of plastic back, sticking it into his leather wallet. Getting up, he waited for Anzu to finish with her water, before heading back outside.

"Where do you live?" he asked, once outside the restaurant.

"Why do you want to know?"

"It's dark, you're a woman, and I'm not going to send you off alone. Just answer my question so I can walk you home, and get on my merry way already. Where's your house?"

Even while being considerate, he was rude.

"Just two blocks from here. Thanks for being the gentleman."

"My pleasure, Mazaki."

There was a hint of sarcasm in his words, but she ignored it. Walking out of the darkness, she made her way back to the main street, towards the tree lined avenue that marked the beginnings of home. Down the sidewalk she went, the tall man behind her not saying a word as he followed behind. Once she made one more turn onto a quiet street, his head looked around, blue eyes taking the scenic view of brick apartments with their well-manicured gardens and small trees.

"It's right over here."

There was an apricot tree right near the girl's house, small and fruitless. It looked quiet lonely there, amongst the Japanese cherry trees. Kaiba glanced at it, frowning slightly, before turning his head to see Anzu walking up the stone steps of the porch. Now that she was home, there was no need for him to stay around any longer.

"Thanks for dinner, Kaiba."

"Do you eat alone often?"

What kind of question was that?

"Well sure… I live alone most of the time, since my roommate has two jobs and a boyfriend. She's not exactly around much and everyone from before-"

"Give me your phone number."

"What? Why? "She asked, confusion written across her face.

"So I can call you stupid, why else would I ask for it. Damn, just put it into my cell phone. I didn't think you were so dense. Apparently Domino University is just accepting anyone nowadays…"

And passing over his sleek black phone, Kaiba pressed it into the girl's hand. Crossing his own arms, he waited impatiently for her to put into her contact information, his lips slightly sneering at having to wait while she fumbled over his key pad.

"There. I don't even see why you'd want to hang around me."

She handed it back to him, looking slightly offended at having been called dumb. Sure, she wasn't Domino's best and brightest, but Anzu wasn't stupid either. Any girl in her position would be surprised at Kaiba's forwardness. They weren't friends, and she didn't understand why he wanted her cell number so badly.

"Thank you."

Snapping the top down and sliding it into the pockets of his leather pants, he got on his way. There was a creepy grin on his face as he turned away, like Anzu had made a bad choice by giving away her private information. His face was so perplexing, and she figured that he rarely ever showed people his true feelings.

"We'll be doing this again soon. Goodnight, Mazaki."

And without further delay, he turned around and left, leaving a confused Anzu behind.


	2. Chapter 2: French

Lying atop her bed, Anzu grumbled as her mother went on droning over the phone. It was like a daily ritual, receiving the phone call from hell. If it wasn't Anzu's blunt mother asking when she'd give up ballet for a real education, it was her father pestering her over money. Sometimes she just wanted to turn her cell off, but she couldn't do that. Not if she expected some financial support.

"Anzu, did you look into that writing competition like I told you to? My dear, you shouldn't put all your eggs into one basket, and dance isn't your only talent. You're a great writer, and if you'd just put more time and effort-"

"Mother, I already told you, I don't have any time. Between classes, work, and dance, I barely have enough hours in the day to sleep. Spending time writing boring papers on things I don't even care about isn't going to make my life better."

"You're closing yourself to so many opportunities," sighed the older woman over the phone. She sounded tired, and clearly irritated at having her ideas shot down.

"I don't care. I have a plan, and I'm sticking to it."

It certainly wasn't the respectful thing to say to her own mother, but she didn't care. Anzu's feet were throbbing in pain, she was tired, her legs were sore, and having missed lunch, she needed to find something to eat. Dealing with her over bearing parents just wasn't on her agenda that day.

Tomorrow was class, too. Sundays were always a tease; knowing that the entire week was just going to start over again. School, work, dance, sleep; the rotation would start and end until Anzu was done with college. Hopefully by then, someone would pick her up at some studio, and her childhood dreams would come true. Someone had to appreciate her hard work and talents.

"It's late mother and I haven't had dinner yet. I'll call you tomorrow."

"You said that yesterday Anzu and your father had to call you tonight-"

"Goodnight."

Turning off the phone, the middle child of three sat it down near her bedside table. Sighing, she already knew the bad news. There was no food in the house, because she forgot to buy some groceries the day before. The run in with Kaiba upset her schedule, and instead of going to the neighborhood grocery store, she had left from the restaurant straight home.

"Damn."

At least there were several small eateries close to her apartment. Getting up, Anzu put on a pair of sweats, the air a bit chilly still for spring. It wouldn't warm up until all the trees were blooming, and even then, sometimes at night the wind wouldn't subside. She'd stay warmer under layers, and it kept attention away from her.

"I could try and call Ryou again. Maybe he's around close by."

Her mother could easily try calling her back up if she did, but maybe it was worth the trouble. He was such good company, unlike the man she spent the night before with. Ryou was the sort who said his please and thank you's with a courteous tone, not at all pretentious with his mannerisms. Kaiba, it seemed to Anzu at least, was well-born enough to know his manners, but chose not to follow them unless forced.

"I don't get why he'd just bother me like that."

Maybe he was lonely. That was certainly a possibility. Even the most independent of men got lonesome, and maybe after years of limited company (his own brother), Kaiba wanted to expand his horizons. Anzu only wished it didn't include her, because his attitude was still so… strong. Nothing about that changed, and she didn't see him changing in that sort of way anytime soon.

"His company wouldn't be half bad if he'd just pretend to enjoy being around people. That's the worst part."

Turning around awkwardly, Anzu remembered that she was alone. The only living creature in the room with her was her betta fish, a male crowntail that lived in a tank with a small filter system. She spoiled him, giving the small live plants, organic food, and natural rocks to live and enjoy, instead of the plastic toys and cheap food most people gave their pets. It was the only thing she had any more for company.

"It is!"

The fish didn't appear concerned. His fins exposed in the water, he was too busy showing himself off to care what Anzu had to say. While his body was a deep blood red, his tail and fins were a deep blue, much like the fish's owner's eyes. They were clear and rich in color, the betta being healthy and full of life. He didn't have a spot of itch on him.

Shaking her head, Anzu just turned away from her pet, sighing again. Picking up her phone, she turned it on to call Ryou, but was surprised to find a text message blinking across her screen. Rolling her eyes, she figured that her mother had called, but the number wasn't one she recognized. It was private, and she hadn't put two and two together until she saw the actual message.

"I'm close by and I know you haven't had dinner yet. Meet me at La Creperie. –Kaiba "

He assumed that she'd come at his beck and call. The man also assumed that Anzu knew where that place was, but Kaiba was lucky. She had gone by it enough times to know how to get there, and snorting indignantly, the dancer made up her mind to go meet him. However, slightly annoyed over his pushy message, she wouldn't take a shower first. Kaiba would have to forgive her.

Hell, she didn't care.

Getting off the bed, she grabbed her purse and jacket. It was raining outside, as usual, and before leaving the room, she glanced at her fish. He was rising to the top of the tank, sucking air in the most pathetic manner. Grinning, Anzu knew immediately what her pet wanted. Fish food.

"If I keep feeding you anymore, you're gonna grow to the size of a fat ass koi."

With a goofy grin on her face, she opened the canister of organic fish flakes and dropped a few on top of the water. Greedily, her little fish ate the food, settling back down into the middle of his tank when done. Little specks of red food flew down to the bottom. He was always wasting it, after making a show of being hungry.

Finished, Anzu left the room and turned off the light. Once again, her roommate was nowhere to be seen. It was like living alone sometimes, because the other woman was never around. Although her things were still in her room, the other college student usually stayed at her boyfriend's place… or the boyfriends, since they seemed to change on a monthly basis. Watching the constant relationship statuses change online was amusing to Anzu, especially when it was really the only way she knew what was going on with her friend anymore.

"La Creperie… "

It was a strange choice. Most people went there on romantic dates, not just to get food. Sure, it was very good and Anzu enjoyed getting the occasional crepe there, but usually… it was when she got asked on a date. Looking at the text on her phone, she knew this wasn't anything close to a real date. If it was, damn… Kaiba was more clueless about women than both Honda and Jonouchi put together.

She doubted that was case. More than likely, he was bored again and wanted someone to pick over while he had his dinner. Maybe the people at Kaiba Corporation just weren't amusing him enough anymore, so he needed to look at outside sources. How someone as young as Kaiba got through the business world without a few social oddities, Anzu didn't know. Well, he had oddities, but they weren't noticeable… yet.

Leaving the apartment and locking the door behind her, Anzu left the porch, passing her young apricot tree. She smiled at it, liking her choice of tree over the standard cherry ones everyone else on her block had chosen two years ago. Variety was the spice of life, and when spring would finally come in full bloom, everyone would thank her for it.

Walking back towards the main street, she turned a corner and came to the cozy French restaurant. Full of couples, she was made a face, not wanting to watch all the happy faces around her. Being alone was hard. Sure, Anzu got asked on dates all the time, but most men just wanted one thing from her, and she wasn't going to give it out. A romantic at heart, Anzu promised only to give that part of herself to someone who could cherish it…

"And he didn't want me."

Why did she even think about that guy still? He was gone.

Shaking her head, she went towards the server to ask where to sit. Maybe Kaiba wasn't already there. Hell, he could be standing her up for shits and giggles; the man liked to play cruel jokes on others. It was possible that the night before was a fluke, and he was really just sitting in his office laughing, thinking about his one-time rival's cheerleader standing alone in a room full of lovebirds.

But he wasn't. Looking out towards the back of the place, Anzu saw him sitting alone outside. He was playing on his phone, looking miserably out of place and bored. There were people all around him, some even pointing at him, but he wasn't paying anyone much attention. Slouching like a sulking teenager who didn't get his way, he just folded his arms and frowned while tucking his phone into his pants pocket.

It was tempting to just study him. Did he worry about her not showing up? She didn't think so, but anything was possible. A man like him had an ego that needed constant stroking, and it would be a blow to have a "date" just flake without saying anything. However, Anzu wasn't that sort of girl. Unlike some people, she wasn't vindictive either, and not paying for her own meals had its perks.

"I should go over and join him already. Maybe that will stop his fidgeting."

Grinning just a little, she left the lobby and went outside to the back. Crossing the waiters with their platters of food, she was careful not to knock someone's tray down, moving out of people's way as if it was a dance. Reaching her table, she stopped in front of her chair, darker blue eyes meeting her with a disapproving glance.

"Finally, I thought maybe you turned your phone off or something stupid like that."

He didn't even wait for her to be seated before talking, crossing his leg under the table. In front of him was a display of breads and butter, along with some different types of jam to try. Anzu was so tempted to have some, but careful of her figure, she decided to ignore the carbs for some water instead.

"I didn't mean to keep you waiting, but I was doing stuff before you texted me."

"Stuff like what? No, let me guess… checking your daily horoscope for true love? You'd be the type to do something as ridiculous as that." Rolling his eyes, he sliced a piece of bread before spreading butter on top of it.

"Why would I bother doing that when I know the only guy I'll be seeing tonight is you?"

Looking up, Anzu could see the look of surprise in his eyes. He wasn't expecting that at all, and snorting, he rolled them like the girl had said something stupid and played off her back handed comment. Maybe he didn't know, but Anzu had a mean streak, when pushed hard enough. She could handle whatever Kaiba decided to dish out to her, and serve it right back just as coldly.

"No Kaiba, I was getting ready to start on some homework when you called. Class is tomorrow, and I'm not quite ready with the reading assignments I was supposed to be working on this last Friday. Thought I had enough time…"

"You should have been getting ready to take a shower…" He looked over her body with a bemused expression. "I feel so overdressed now."

"Are you trying to be funny?"

"Mazaki, I am funny."

Snorting in annoyance, Anzu ignored the man and chose to instead pay more attention to the menu that sat in front of her chair. It listed several imported wines, which she wasn't interested in having. They all sounded far too complex for her inexperienced palate, and looking at the prices, way out of her budget. Her family at home often drank wine with meals, but she didn't. High in calories, Anzu preferred water.

Crepes were what the place was known for, but Anzu wouldn't allow herself to indulge in such a fattening pastry treat either. Not when there were several interesting salads listed, all featuring fruit, walnuts, chicken, goat cheese, and other more unique ingredients Anzu often couldn't get at more generic restaurants. The promise of balsamic vinaigrettes and fresh vegetables was so irresistible.

"Did you decide upon something yet, or do you plan on starving yourself like the night before?"

"I didn't starve myself last time, Kaiba."

"You barely ate anything. I don't get it. Girls and their irrationally low self-esteem, I'll never understand it. Real food wouldn't kill you. Actually, it might do your body some favors."

Anzu couldn't tell if that was an insult or a compliment. Grumbling, she tossed the menu down and crossed her arms. She wouldn't get bullied out of her diet, and she didn't see why the man wanted her to eat so much, when he rarely ate much of anything at all.

"I just want a salad tonight."

"… No."

"What do you mean no? You can't stop me from wanting what I want."

"This is my place, Mazaki; I can do whatever the hell I want in my own turf. And since this is my restaurant, you're not going to insult me and my chef by just having some stupid salad. Fuck it, I'll just order for you."

Dammit. He would take her somewhere that he owned. It was a complete surprise, because Anzu had no idea that he had investments in culinary business. Most people weren't daring enough to put money into a market that almost always failed, let alone into someplace so small and secluded. Sure, Anzu had heard of the place before, but it was a romance spot, not somewhere for casual meals.

"Why are you trying to piss me off?"

Crossing her arms, she demanded an answer with her eyes. She didn't like playing cat and mouse games that she didn't know the rules to. And in this case, the man in front of her definitely knew what he was doing… and didn't feel like sharing the details with anyone else.

"I came here, with plans on being nice to you. As soon as I get here, you start insulting me, per usual, and now you won't let me just order what I want. If you want a dining buddy Kaiba, you should start treating me better."

"You aren't my "dining buddy", Mazaki. I could hire better company than you, so do me a favor and stop bitching at me."

"Escort girls? That's really classy. I didn't know your social life went down that much after Yugi left Domino. I'd feel bad for you, if you hadn't have done it to yourself."

"Do me a favor already and just shut your mouth."

Kaiba looked more pissed than she had ever seen him in a long time. Maybe her comments had gone a little too far, but the attitude and complete lack of respect wasn't something she was going to tolerate. If he wanted some company, fine, but she wasn't going to get bullied and harassed just for his amusement. Hell, they weren't even friends. What right did he have, to talk to her like that?

Getting up, Anzu slid her chair back under the table before leaving the room. She made up her mind to go home, and bare with whatever she could find to eat there. If anything, there was always cereal and that would hold her until the next day. Anything was better than dealing with the host from hell, who apparently was surprised that anyone would blow him off in public.

"Where are you going?"

"Home. Not that it's any of your business."

"Mazaki, sit back down before you embarrass yourself."

Looking at her male companion sharply, Anzu spun around and walked off, leaving him behind. He took a few minutes to digest it, flabbergasted that someone actually had the nerve to just walk out on him like that. When her figure could no longer be seen past the door way of the restaurant, he got up as well, trying to pursue her.

"Mazaki!"

She was already down the street, nearly home Kaiba caught up with her. He easily over took her stride, but didn't look too pleased having to catch up with her. Frowning, he looked down at her, grabbing her arm once they were no longer on a busy street. Anzu wasn't the type to scream over it, buts he didn't want people getting the wrong impression either.

"What are you doing?" he demanded.

"Going home. Let go of me, asshole."

"No one just walks out on me. Why the hell did you-"

"I'm not going to waste my time Kaiba listening to you insult me like that because you have nothing better to do. I don't know what your personal problem is, but it's got nothing to do with me, and until you want to try being socially appropriate, you can enjoy your dinners alone."

"… Fine. You weren't that great of company anyways."

Just like an angst ridden teenager he stalked away. Kaiba didn't look like he cared either way if Anzu followed after him or not, but the girl was curious about him. She just couldn't understand what the male's agenda was, inviting her over to dinner only to turn around and insult her endlessly without reason. For the most part, she had been more than reasonable to him. There wasn't anything she was doing to deserve such anti-social behavior out of him.

"Wait!"

Running towards him, she grabbed his arm this time, pulling him just enough to catch Kaiba's face. He couldn't avoid showing her his pissed off expression, but stopping in place, he shrugged off her grip and crossed his arms in irritation. In so many ways, he behaved like a child. In some ways, it was silly… but in others, that dark stare with the blue eyes was electrifyingly scary. It sent goose bumps down her arms.

"Why are you being like this? You invite me over, and then attack me relentlessly, expecting me to not react. I don't think we could ever be friends-"

"I don't want friends, Mazaki-"

"My point exactly. I don't think we ever could be friends, but we don't need to be hostile either. You weren't like this in high school. At least back then, you were somewhat cordial. "

He didn't say anything. It was like he was processing everything she said inside his head, and not wanting to make him lose his thought, Anzu said nothing. She was tired, and didn't feel like fighting with him anymore. If he wanted to be difficult, then fine, he could. After tonight, she wouldn't try with him anymore if he wanted to be that way, but maybe it didn't have to be like that. Unlike her other friends, Anzu didn't have anything personal against him.

"Well," he started, looking towards Anzu's street, "I'm not going back to that restaurant. You made me look like a fool. If you want my company tonight, you'll have to let me come over to your house."

Demanding, as always. But, in a way, it was a truce. He was always setting the terms, but Anzu didn't mind too much. At least this way, she could keep him under control, on her terms. If he wanted to stay over and be her guest, he'd have to make an effort at being polite and treating her with some degree of respect. If he didn't, Kaiba wasn't worth any of her time.

"I don't have anything to eat, unless you like popcorn. We could watch a movie, if you'd like, and get back on the right foot. We don't have to be enemies, unless that's what you want."

"I have enough enemies."

"That's what I thought. See Kaiba, I'm not Jonouchi, and I'm certainly not Yugi…" The name made her a little sad. "So you don't need to talk to me like we're at war. Okay?"

"I get it."

Slightly annoyed, the man broke eye contact and started towards her apartment. He had seen the building before, and noticing the apricot tree from a distance, he came towards it silently. Trying to catch up, Anzu skipped behind him, scowling at the back of her companion's head. Why was he so damn stubborn?

"One of these days you'll get tired of pushing people away…"

"I highly doubt that, Mazaki."


	3. Chapter 3: Italian

Standing in the kitchen, Anzu waited for the popcorn to finish. She had some drinks on the table, the coke left untouched by her guest who was currently burning holes into the screen of her TV. He didn't talk at all since coming in outside of "yes please" and "no thanks." Maybe it was his effort at being polite, but fake modesty was irritating. His silence made Anzu anxious as her mind tried to find something to entertain him with. Maybe they could talk, but about what? The silence was eating at her.

"Are you sure you don't want water or something."

"Positive."

One word answers, Kaiba was the king of them. And sitting on the couch with his leg cross and arms folded, he looked just as out of place as he probably felt. His clothes were too nice, his suit still on from earlier that day. It was black and extensive looking. Anzu sometimes liked looking at Vogue magazines on occasion, and she could have sworn he was wearing Gucci, but she wasn't exactly positive and asking would be too embarrassing. It would admit that she had been staring at him.

Finally the microwave beeped and Anzu picked up the bag of popped corn, taking it out and dumping the contents into a huge plastic bowl. It smelled so damn buttery, and taking a handful for herself, Anzu hoped the treat would appease her guest. She didn't want him just sitting there hating himself for coming inside with her. Always the people pleaser, she sincerely wanted to make amends with the man.

"How's your brother doing?"

It was an attempt at starting conversation, and hopefully Kaiba wouldn't find the question invasive. She used to be good friends with the younger brother until life got hectic and she started getting too busy for friendships outside of school. The young preteen had to be a teenager by now, with a life of his own and maybe even a girlfriend. Hopefully his kind and easy going nature didn't disappear with maturity.

"He's fine."

Watching Anzu take a seat next to him, the male didn't elaborate. His steel blue eyes stared at her, although Anzu hardly noticed. She was too focused on her snack, taking another handful to her mouth before sitting into the cushions of the couch and crossing her legs up against the coffee table. Making herself comfortable, she sat the food between them, but the man didn't seem too interested in eating.

"Just fine? You could tell me a little bit more than that, you know."

"I know, but why do you need to know?"

Now he turned to look at her face, slightly crossed. Anzu just rolled her eyes at him, taking the TV remote to her hands. If he didn't want to talk to her, then fine. She could pretend he just wasn't there, since he wanted to be so difficult.

"… He's in high school now. Sophomore year and he plays soccer. Sometimes I go to the games, but not that often. There's never enough time, but I think he understands that. I think he also has a girlfriend, because I never see him around anymore."

"I'm not surprised. He was a cute kid before, and I'm sure maturity did him major favors. Not everyone gets so lucky with good genetics."

"Yeah well, I'd appreciate it if he wasn't so popular. Do you know how many times he's left his cell phone in my office, and some girl was calling him? Too many times to count. It makes me wonder about him."

"He's having fun."

"Too much fun, if you ask me. I didn't spend my high school years running after girls and not coming home until mid-night."

Anzu snorted, opening the can of pop for herself. Kaiba sounded like a worry wart and maybe he didn't know how to handle it. He was always in that fatherly position, and now that Mokuba was getting older, he wasn't as needed by him. Or maybe he was needed, but Mokuba wasn't asking for help any longer. Anzu could see that happening.

"I'm sure if you didn't have your company to worry about at his age, you would have been the same way. You could have been popular in high school if you wanted to. Girls liked you. But you decided to be anti-social," replied Anzu, taking another handful of popcorn to her mouth.

"I had better things to do with my time than hang out with you geeks."

"I'm not just talking about me and my friends, Kaiba. There were other people we went to high school with. You ignored everyone. If you didn't like me and my friends, fine, I can understand that. But why did you close everyone off? You couldn't have been happy with being so alone all the time."

"What are you trying to do, psychoanalyze me?" snapped Kaiba.

He looked aggravated, from the sour expression on his face. His eyes appeared darker, and Anzu felt a tug when his eyes flashed at her. She immediately regretted the comment. Really, it wasn't even any of her business, but she was curious. She had been curious for years, and despite everything that happened between Duelist Kingdom and Battle City, she still didn't know the man too well. For some reason, Kaiba was so good at staying an anomaly.

"No. Just trying to understand you, if you'd let me try," she said while looking away, "but I guess it's really not my place to know."

"… If people kept disappearing out of your life, would you be so enthusiastic about making friends all the time?"

"Probably not, that would be difficult to deal with."

"Well, there's your answer."

At least that was something. She expected a little more than just that, but Anzu could tell that Kaiba just hated explaining himself. It would be easier to understand him if he did, but the man would oppose her if she kept getting into his business. Maybe if she said something about herself, he'd relax.

"I don't think I ever told anyone this, but I have two sisters. The older one is studying to become a doctor, and the youngest is Mokuba's age. Sometimes I worry about what my younger sister is doing, because she's wild and a little rebellious. In high school, I used to disappear from home all the time, to go on those duel tournaments… I wouldn't be surprised if she's doing the same thing, just without the card games. She's very pretty too, so it makes me worry."

"Why did you tell me that?" asked Kaiba.

"So you know that we share something in common."

Ending the conversation with that, Anzu turned on the TV and started going through the movies selection. Maybe there was something on they could both watch, although she knew it would be hard pleasing her guest. He was the sort who would find fault in every choice she made until they would both end up frustrated and sick of each other. Kaiba had a talent for that sort of thing.

"I don't care what you put on," he mumbled, "as long as it isn't a chick flick."

Settling on some costume drama, Anzu turned around to find him lying in the corner of her sofa. His long legs were up on top of the coffee table like hers, and he seemed to be ignoring the television in favor of sleep. She didn't see why he'd stay if he was so tired, but Anzu wouldn't bother him. If anything, it would be a funny thing to talk about later, how she got the CEO of Kaiba Corp to stay in her apartment overnight.

Snorting at the idea, Anzu got right back into her bowl of popcorn. The television wasn't as interesting as she first thought, and staring at the man next to her, she tried to keep the image of him sleeping engraved in her head. She had never seen him sleep before, let alone appear tired. Sure, most of her friends had snoozed in front of her from time to time, but never the paranoid CEO. Even during the hellish ride on the blimp during Battle City, he always seemed to be wide awake.

Now his eyes were closed. Long lashes against his fair skin, Anzu could clearly see his more delicate features without all the frowning he made while awake. With his eyes closed and face relaxed, he appeared far more attractive, like someone out of one of her Vogue magazines. Most girls would have killed to see this, and the young woman had this all to herself.

Moving a bit closer, Anzu could see tiny freckles on Kaiba's nose. Why she was so fixated on staring at him, she didn't know. It was interesting, seeing people who were usually so reserved asleep. Being completely at ease and somewhat vulnerable made the CEO much more human than before, like someone she would have known personally instead of some guy who always harassed her friends. He had interesting features too, like how distinctive the nostrils on his nose were, or how his bottom lip dropped slightly as he breathed out of his mouth.

"I can't believe you passed out so easily."

There was no response. Just more heavy breathing and a slight turn to the side, Kaiba had his back turned to the television. With his arms folded against his chest, Anzu felt bad that she hadn't taken his coat before. He was probably over heated in that sports coat of his, and would regret it in the morning. A part of her felt like waking him up, too. It would probably be the right thing to do, and she knew that the man would get all indignant the next morning about sleeping there if she didn't… But he looked so tired.

"You're lucky that I'm such a nice person."

Rolling her eyes, she continued to watch her movie, going through her bowl of popcorn alone. Smiling, Anzu was glad a little to be sharing it alone. If her roommate was around, the girl would have eaten all of it already. The blonde was so good at disposing of other people's groceries, but never her own. Hell, the college girl never bought her own.

"I can't believe how tired I am now myself."

Yawning, she didn't think she could keep herself awake for very long either. Too stubborn to take herself to bed though, she kept the TV on and placed the popcorn on the coffee table. Then, a bit chilled despite being in sweats, she grabbed the afghan off the couch and covered herself with it. Unable to fight herself, she soon closed her eyes and fell asleep against the sofa.

* * *

><p>It was early morning when the alarm went off. Jumping out of bed, the brunette couldn't remember even getting under the covers. She was still wearing her sweats from the night before, but looking around; she was no longer in the living room. Inside her bedroom instead, she could make out the tiny red flakes of fish food on top of her betta's tank.<p>

"He didn't…"

There was no other explanation for it. Getting out from under the covers, Anzu turned off the alarm and left the bedroom, going into the living room. There, she found the popcorn bowl gone and the afghan neatly folded and placed back onto its original spot. Kaiba had to have woken up, and why he'd carry her sorry ass back to bed, she didn't know. But then again, sometimes the male had his moments of decency. He did save her from being crushed by a crate that one time. Anzu would never forget that.

"And all I did was say thanks… To Mokuba, who didn't do anything."

Sighing, she combed a hand through her hair and shook her head. Whatever was going through Kaiba's mind the night before, she probably wouldn't ever know. He wasn't the sort to share anything with people, and knowing how he was, he probably wouldn't even mention it. Well, if they even saw each other again that night. The way Anzu's schedule looked for that night; she highly doubted that she'd have the time.

"He'll have to get dinner alone then."

Getting through class that day was hard enough. The professors kept dragging on and on over the same old topics from before, not remembering until the end to pick up their essay assignments from the weekend. Luckily for Anzu, she had managed to finish hers, expecting at least an A minus on it. She usually got outstanding grades in school, and having rushed the paper somewhat, she knew it wouldn't be as good as before.

Then there was work, which droned on forever. Teenagers from Domino High and the blue collar employees all over kept coming into Burger World, buying their favorite American fare for cheap. Ham burgers, hot dogs, cheese burgers, chili fries, curly fries, hot wings, popcorn shrimp, and just about anything else that could be cooked on a hot iron or deep fryer was there. Anzu hated it, the greasy food that everyone seemed to love, especially the smell. After five hours of it, she nearly ran out of the place, throwing her apron into her bag.

Lastly was dance. It wasn't so bad, until she ended up pulling her leg while on stage rehearsing. It was embarrassing too, having people gather around her as she sat stunned on the stage floor. Cursing to herself, Anzu bit her lip and watched as her dance coach checked her leg, shaking his head in disappointment. Immediately she knew it was a bad sign. Falling while en pointe was bad enough…

"You're fine, just take a break tonight. Go home, Anzu."

"Are you sure you don't need me-" she asked.

"Go home, Anzu."

It was such a downer. Getting her ass off the ground, all she could do was exit the stage while the other dancers made their comments behind her back. She knew that they were talking about her, about how she'd never amount to anything outside of Domino. Girls like Anzu didn't get past college dance. They just didn't have the body for it.

After packing up her things, the brunette really just wanted to sulk in her room. She didn't feel too hungry but her body needed nourishment. As much as she might have wanted to punish herself for fucking up in front of everyone, Anzu couldn't act out like some teenager by starving herself. It was stupid and didn't solve anything. Instead, she might as well go somewhere for dinner until the bus came.

Picking up her phone, she was surprised to find two missed calls and a text message. What was even more surprising was none of the calls came from her mother or father. Not even Ryou, who she still talked to on occasion. No, all the numbers were private, and smirking slightly at recognition, she eventually figured out who it was.

"Meet me at Il Pomodoro when you get done with practice. It's right across the street from your ballet studio, so no excuses. – Kaiba"

Snorting, Anzu shoved the phone into her pocket. She'd probably be a bit early, since she wasn't due to be out for another half an hour, but maybe that would save her waiting for a table. And who knew, the paranoid businessman might be there early… Or get there very late. Kaiba seemed like the sort to be extremely punctual, but shit happened. A late night in the office could do things, and there was always a chance of her being stood up.

"He didn't do that last time, so you shouldn't worry yourself over it, Anzu. Ugh, it's such a stupid thing to worry about anyways."

She felt silly worrying over absolutely nothing. Hitting the showers first, this time the girl made sure she was clean before going out in public. Unlike last time, she didn't plan on pulling any stunts, and since she was far off from home, good behavior was a must. The buses would stop running soon, and Anzu would need a ride home from the restaurant.

Getting there early, Anzu got a table easily. There was a reservation under her name, and grinning like an idiot, she took her seat in the back of the room, staring out at the window next to her. Domino Pier was such a nice place. It was just too bad that the ocean made everything around it so damn cold and she couldn't go out in shorts like she had last summer. Sure, some girls wore leggings and stockings underneath, but to Anzu, it just looked so stupid.

It almost felt like a date. Almost. She'd have to remind herself that just because the man did one good deed the night before, didn't mean there would be repeats. Kaiba was still Kaiba. He'd show up, as irritable as ever, and as soon as he opens his mouth, Anzu would be reminded of what she was dealing with. And it was too bad. If someone duct tapped his mouth, Kaiba would make a great trophy husband.

Giggling at the thought, she didn't notice him taking the seat in front of her.

"What's so funny, Mazaki?"

"Whoa, I didn't think you'd be here so soon… Err, it's nothing," she lied, "just thinking about something from work."

"Why are you here so soon? I came on time, which is always at least ten minutes earlier than when I say I'll arrive."

He was rolling his eyes as the words dripped off his tongue in that obnoxious manner of his. All romantic thoughts were lost, Anzu's head coming back to reality with a crash.

"I fell during dance practice. The coach told me to go home early. Ended up twisting my leg and I might need to get it seen tomorrow. I don't know yet. Really don't want to make the trip over to the doctor, but I can't afford being injured…"

"I'm sure it's not even that serious. Trips and falls won't kill you."

"I didn't say it would kill me Kaiba, jeez…"

"Well you sure are whining about it. If it will put your little head at ease, I'll check it when I take you home. I'm sure it's nothing. It'll save you a trip to the doctor's."

"…I'm so relieved."

Overly sarcastic and wanting to avoid a confrontation, Anzu just shut her mouth with the wine that sat on the table in front of her. Drinking it slowly, she studied the man who sat near her, how he seemed so smug sitting there the way he did. One day she'd have to find a way to throw him off, anything to wipe that grin off his face. He got the best of her too much.

"Just so you know, Mazaki, I already ordered dinner for the both of us. I didn't want to hear you complain over eating Bugs Bunny, so I just had the cook do it already. It's Coniglio all'Onegliese, or stewed rabbit. I kept your diet in mind, so you can't get mad over the choice. There's no pasta or anything else carb laden in it."

Thank goodness for small favors. At least he cared enough to find something within her eating limitations, and a stew sounded pretty good to her. It was so cold outside, and even with a puffy winter jacket, having some hot liquids in her would definitely help raise the temperature some. She found it surprising that he had put that much thought into it, too. Maybe he was trying to make an effort at being sociable.

"… I made sure to keep the organs in it."

Or not.

"The organs? What are you talking about, like the heart and lungs?"

"Heart, kidneys, liver, that sort of thing. You can't just waste half the carcass because it isn't grade A, you know. After all that cooking, you won't even taste the difference. Hell, I can't believe you haven't had heart before. You're in Japan, after all."

"I don't usually eat Japanese food, Kaiba."

"That's so international of you, Mazaki."

Smirking, he moved closer, his eyes studying hers. He didn't seem at all uncomfortable leaning over the table as if he was alone with her. People were sitting all around them, but apparently they weren't that interested, because Anzu didn't think anyone was staring at her. Or if people did see them, they thought he was leaning in for some cliché kiss.

Bleh.

"From the color of your eyes, I can tell you aren't completely Japanese. Blue eyes and fair skin, as well as your body shape. There's something else in you, which might explain your distaste for sweet meats. Most people I know love that sort of thing…"

"Both my parents are mixed. And your eyes are blue just like mine Kaiba, so I don't see why you're picking at me like I'm the outcast."

"I'm not. My mother was an American, if you must know..."

"Oh… was Gozaburo American too?"

"Gozaburo wasn't my father, stupid, and he certainly was not American. And neither was my father, for that matter."

If it wasn't for the wine, Anzu would have felt really self-conscious, sitting there as Kaiba slipped a bit of him right there in front of her. Sure, it wasn't that major, but the man almost never shared anything personal with anyone unless he had to. Having an explanation for those eyes was something, and she did used to wonder about that. Now she knew.

"If you don't mind me asking… what happened to him?"

"He died in an accident. It happened so long ago, I can't even remember the details. Let's just say my Japanese relatives didn't want to take in a bunch of half-breeds. If my mother had any family back in the states, they didn't know about us."

"I'm sorry, Kaiba, I didn't know…"

"What's there to be sorry about? It happened a long time ago and it's not my problem now."

He seemed content to blow it off and move on. Anzu wasn't the sort to be able to handle something like that alone, but her companion was made out of slightly more stronger stuff than her. Unlike her, he seemed to enjoy keeping things to himself and not sharing anything to anyone unless absolutely necessary.

"If you ever needed to talk about it, you know I'd listen."

"I don't need your pity, Mazaki. Nor do I desire it."

Maybe she shouldn't have said that. Shaking her head in frustration, Anzu just sipped more of her wine, thinking about what was just she wished she didn't care about those sorts of things so much. For the longest time, her friends came to her over problems, and for the most part, she did all she could to help them. Even if that meant sitting and listening to them, Anzu did her part and just sat silently as they poured their hearts out.

Kaiba, however, wasn't going to. She could tell by the way he looked at her that he wasn't going to tell her a single thing again if he could help it. Even when they were stuck in Noah's virtual world, the man kept his secrets so well, not revealing much of anything and leaving nearly everyone in the dark as to what the whole deal was. They only knew that Noah was some step brother who wanted Kaiba Corp and they needed to get Mokuba back.

He always kept everyone in the dark.

"Sometimes Kaiba, I think you enjoy being difficult."

And before the man could respond, dinner appeared on the table. Instead of words, Anzu got a puzzled expression, with a single raised eyebrow Kaiba managed to give before putting his spoon into the stew to stir it. He didn't reply to the comment, but seemed to be musing over it, giving it some thought. Or maybe he was thinking about something else entirely. Who knew?

Two hours of too much wine later, the dinner was finished. Always the gentleman, Kaiba paid for it, signing off on the check before helping his "date" from her chair. Anzu, a light weight, had far too much for one night and stumbling a little, she instinctively held onto the man's arm as he led her to his car. It was parked outside, loud and red, the Ferrari from two years before she remembered seeing. He must have not taken it out often, because it still appeared brand new.

"This is such a nice car," she cooed, staring out the window. Everything looked so pretty at night, especially the city lights. Maybe if she was lucky, Kaiba would drive down the beach way, which would give them a good look at the Domino skyline. It was Anzu's favorite, one she rarely ever got to see because none of her friends had cars.

"I'd hope so, it cost me half a million," remarked Kaiba.

"Wow, I can't believe you have so much money. Sometimes I forget that, because you don't seem like some businessman when you're dueling. How do you even have time for all of that…"

She was babbling through her obvious buzzed state. Her companion, however, seemed slightly amused by this, not at all put off by her questions for once.

"It's a part of my business. I wouldn't be good at my job if I didn't know what duelists wanted. And being the best, I can only make the best, right?"

"I thought Yugi was the best…"

Frowning some, Kaiba snapped on his seat belt and turned on the car. It hummed slightly, like a purring cat, and was so smooth. It had to be the most luxurious vehicle Anzu had ever stepped into, and grinning like a Cheshire cat, a part of her knew it. She might not have been completely sober at that point, but she definitely knew how good she had it at that moment.

"Yugi retired."

Snorting, Anzu just let the comment go. If Kaiba wanted to be the best, then he could believe that. She needed her ride home, and if he got mad at her, who knew what he'd do to get even. Probably not throw her onto the streets because he wasn't that ruthless anymore, but he was vindictive. Tonight she didn't need any problems from him.

"Kaiba, do you plan on ever retiring? Or will you play card games forever? I'd like to think that I'll never retire from dancing, but all good things eventually come to an end. Besides, it would be weird for you to still be playing once you have kids."

The word "kids" rewarded her a snort, but the man's eyes remained focused on the road. Apparently he didn't feel like answering that question, because his face got serious and he had stopped talking. Anzu couldn't tell after all the wine she had if she had offended him, but Kaiba was quiet. Not an angry quiet like many times before, but the kind that told her it was time to shut her mouth and just stop messing with him.

Leaning against the window, she was rewarded with the view of Domino bay. There was plenty of activity to watch outside, especially the American naval vessels that had their red lights shining through the darkness of night. The presence of the United States was still strong in Japan, not just in the genetics of the people like Anzu, but also in the giant carriers with their battle convoys that just sat in the water, watching for trouble. Amongst them also were the fishing ships, tug boats, and other water craft that inhabited the harbor.

It didn't take long to get home. Settled comfortably into her leather seat, the girl woke up from the trip when the sports car parked in front of her apartment. Opening her eyes, she could see the lights on, reflecting shadows off her apricot tree onto the ground. If the light didn't bother her eyes so much, Anzu probably would have stared at it for some time. But tired and groggy, she unbuckled her seat belt and quickly climbed out of the chair.

That was a mistake. Blood rushing to her head, she stumbled onto her porch while digging the keys out of her purse. If it hadn't been for the watchful male behind her, she would have made great bait for any thug. Slipping into her house haphazardly, Kaiba closed the door behind her, locking it to be safe. He turned on the lights as Anzu laid out on the couch, laying her injured leg out for display.

"It's broken, look."

"Don't be such a drama queen."

Walking over, Kaiba rolled his eyes and took a knee. He moved the coffee table out of the way, and carefully without moving the girl's limb too much, pulled the fabric up her leg to reveal a huge bruise on her lower inner thigh. It was purple and yellow, as if some kindergartener had done a finger painting job against the girl's sensitive skin. Ugly to look at, it still wasn't broken. Kaiba made sure of it, checking the muscles and bone underneath thoroughly before shaking his head.

"I'm gonna die, aren't I?"

"Shut up Mazaki, you'll be fine. You just bruised it badly, and if it weren't for all the wine you had, you'd probably be feeling it right now."

She just sulked, crossing her arms against her chest. Her eyes stared at the wannabe doctor, trying to figure out if he was lying or not. Maybe Kaiba had some hidden secret bedside manner he didn't let anyone else know about. If he did, that would be impressive. Anzu would have liked him more as a doctor than a duelist if that were so.

"It's ugly. My legs used to be so pretty, and now look. I'm damaged. No one's gonna pay to see my legs all fugly like that. Look, you don't even want to look at them. They used to be perfect!"

"Your legs aren't that bad. If you put some make-up on them, no one will notice."

"You're just saying that to make me feel better, aren't you Kaiba?"

"I'm not. It's the truth. Besides, I could care less about your feelings."

"I don't believe you."

Snorting indifferently, the tired business man got back onto his feet and took a seat on the couch. Moving the girl's feet onto his lap, he grabbed the remote control off the coffee table and flipped on the TV, neglecting himself to channel surfing. Anzu figured he would have liked a book better, so slurring everything with a smile on her face, she pointed to the bookshelf.

"I have a ton of books if you'd prefer reading, "she asked.

"Tons? I bet there all picture books…"

But he did get to check them out. Looking over her collection with a serious glint in his eyes, Kaiba made his selection, carrying two under his arm before taking his seat again. Then comfortably back in his seat, he turned off the television and dimmed the lights. The lack of illumination felt so comfortable to Anzu who grabbed the afghan again for warmth. Sleeping on the couch wouldn't be so bad.

"You don't have to stay, Kaiba," she remarked, "I'm perfectly fine."

"I don't want you puking up food all over yourself while you sleep. Besides, you're better company when you're drunk."

"I'm not drunk…"

A loud burp came out after that.

"Go to sleep, Mazaki."


	4. Chapter 4: Japanese

When the morning came, Anzu wasn't greeted by the call of her alarm clock. Instead she was met by a rushing house guest who looked rather annoyed at her weary state. He was trying to do too many things at once, getting his shoes on while his jacket was falling off his shoulders. Maybe he was late; Anzu didn't know or really cared. Tired and slightly hung over, she wasn't quite sure what to make of it. Unlike yesterday, she didn't have class on Tuesdays.

"What are you doing?" she asked innocently, her lips chapped from thirst.

"What do you think I'm doing, lazy? Getting my ass to work after watching you last night. For whatever reason, I had the insane idea of making sure you didn't puke in your sleep, so here I am, late to work."

"You can't be late to your own company, Kaiba, "giggled Anzu, "you work for yourself."

"Mazaki, your logic is flawed. And clearly, you haven't sobered up quite yet."

Rolling his eyes, he finished with his laces and got his coat on. Then not wanting to waste any more time talking, the man walked over to the kitchen, digging around for food. An American breakfast wasn't ideal, but since that was all Anzu had, he settled for quick oatmeal with the cut up strawberries in the refrigerator. There could have been worse things.

Bemused, Anzu watched curiously. She had never had so much to drink and the wine was so potent. Being so light and without much body fat, it just hit her harder than most, and apparently didn't have a problem staying in her system longer than it should have. Most people would have gone back to normal by morning, but not her. She was still enjoying her little buzz.

"You look good in the kitchen," she remarked while smiling.

"Thanks?"

Kaiba didn't know what to make of that, giving a confused expression before turning back to his bowl. Mixing boiling water into the oats, he used a spoon to mix it, dumping the fruit in after. He ate the whole thing quickly without thinking about taste or texture. Maybe he had an important meeting to get to. It certainly made Anzu wonder.

"I'd like to come to Kaiba Corp with you one day, I think."

"Really Mazaki? Now there's a thought," Kaiba said rather sarcastically before rolling his eyes.

"I used to work there, you know. A long time ago. Had to wear that stupid outfit. Worked in laser tag…"

"Hmm. Would had paid to have seen that…"

"-the front shirt was too tight and the skirt too short. I think it was all done on purpose."

The man wasn't even paying attention to her anymore. Instead of answering, he brought his dirty dishes to the sink and washed them off, leaving them to dry on the dish rack. Once Kaiba finished, he quickly made a dash at the door, stopping in his tracks once his hand grabbed the door knob.

"I won't be able to see you tonight just so you know. Don't go drinking for a while again either and you really shouldn't bother with the ballet until that bruise goes away. Later."

Then after shaking his head to himself, he left. Anzu followed behind slightly confused still, but she had enough sense to lock her door behind him. She didn't need any unexpected visitors coming in and feeling a little dizzy, the brown haired girl collapsed again onto her couch. Alcohol wasn't her friend. Feeling a headache coming on, she groaned as her head met the cushions.

"No ballet tonight?"

That couldn't be right. Sure, her leg didn't feel too good but it wasn't awful. Most people just dealt with their injuries, and she wasn't some weak china doll. Anzu Mazaki worked through pain, and not wanting to lose her place in the ballet that season, she stubbornly bumped around into her room grabbing her cell off her bed. There was one message blinking across the screen.

"This is Coach Namaba. Don't worry about practice; I have a replacement for your part. Get that leg checked soon, and see me again once it heals. No arguments."

"Replaced by whom?"

Instead of tears came a face full of fury, Anzu throwing the cell into her pillow as hard as she could. It didn't break anything, but the little fit of violence made her feel just a bit better. How could that asshole just replace her like that? In only one night too? If she was out for that long, there was no way the girl could get a slot.

"This isn't fair…"

Turning to her fish, blue eyes looked for some sympathy. However all they got was bubbles, the little betta begging for some food. Obliging, Anzu sprinkled his flakes into his tank before sighing, watching it eat, gorgeous little fish enjoyed his morning meal. A fish's life was so much simpler. All he had to do was eat, poop, and stay afloat. Why couldn't it be like that for people, too?

"Everyone makes everything so damn difficult."

Loneliness. It was creeping in on Anzu like a fever. Being cooped up inside an apartment alone without a roommate to keep her company was hard. Usually school and dance entertained her. Lately, Kaiba had been doing his part as well, but he didn't plan on visiting her… It was hard news to swallow.

It was hard news mostly because with an injured leg, Anzu couldn't go anywhere. She was an invalid, without anyone around to care for her. If things were like before, Yugi probably would have stayed with her. Hell, he would have skipped school to keep his best friend company, even if that meant getting in trouble with the principal. Now though the only old friend around from those days was Bakura.

"Would he come over? Probably not."

But sometimes surprises happened. Turning on her phone, Anzu laid across her bed sulking. She flipped open the pink cover going through contacts until she came to the name of Ryou. It had to be her old classmate's, who was at Domino University just like her. He just wasn't pursuing the same major, the boy's heart set on psychology. No one expected that, but when Anzu thought about it… the idea of Bakura studying such a potentially dark subject actually made sense.

A few times the phone rang, like a tease. But then thankfully a familiar voice came over the other side.

"Hello? This is Bakura Ryou."

"Bakura? This is Anzu. I injured myself during ballet and I can't really go anywhere until the bruise gets better. Do you think maybe you could come over with some takeout? We haven't really talked in a long time."

"Dinner? Sure, I guess. You'll have to wait until my class is over though. I won't be free until later this evening, sorry."

"It's okay. I can wait until then."

Hanging up, Anzu could only frown a little. Sure, the male would eventually come over, but until then… She'd have to find some form of self-entertainment. A middle child, she hadn't done much of that until she moved out of the house. For years she had playmates, never alone without someone to be around. It was in her nature to be amongst people, even to the fault of annoying others.

"Now what?"

If only the apartment would allow a cat or a dog. Something else besides a mute fish that didn't do much beyond floating around in his bowl making air bubbles. At least a larger animal would give her attention out of love and affection. The fish, although beautiful, wasn't capable of such a depth of emotions. All it understood was the simple basics of survival, nothing more.

Like most young women her age, Anzu had books. But when extreme boredom attacked her, nothing looked good enough to entertain her busy mind. Novels couldn't keep her interest; they went sour after a page or so. She tried so hard to read, looking at the print across the paper but not catching anything it said.

Then after putting the book down and hobbling over to the living room, Anzu tried the television. Unfortunately there was nothing of interest on. Boring talk shows, soap operas, and game shows that Japan was so famous for flashing across the screen for the poor people who had nothing better to do than watch. It was revolting for someone so educated, and she immediately turned it off after flipping through the channels. She couldn't stomach the stupidity.

"Why does he need to be gone for so long?"

Sighing, Anzu checked on her leg. It looked much the same, discolored and ugly. Furrowing her brows, she couldn't believe Kaiba even touched the thing. Looking at it just made her stomach turn and shaking her head, she wondered how long it would be before it looked normal again. How could she be so careless, falling to the ground like that? Maybe her instructor was right for replacing her. A good dancer doesn't fall. A great dancer lands with grace, like a floating feather to the ground. Everything she does is beautiful.

"I'm such an utter failure."

Waiting got so tiring, so fast. Sitting alone in the living room, Anzu eventually gave up on leisurely pursuits and just laid herself down. Closing her eyes, she allowed her brain to take her all over, thinking of all the possibilities life had in store for her. Intelligent and pretty, Anzu had so many things going her way. If only she had realized that.

Day turned into night, and soon the white haired man by the name of Ryou appeared on her doorstep. He was wearing the same clothes as years before, his style not changing much. His eyes were scanning all over nervously like he was afraid that someone was following him. Brown and expressive, many people had told him that they were similar to a dog's. Bakura never knew just how exactly to take that comment.

"Anzu?"

Ringing the door bell, he waited patiently. On the other side, Anzu scrambled off the couch with wide eyes, limping her way to the door, her hair a wild mess. Nothing about her looked quite put together and slightly embarrassed, she tried apologizing for her appearance...

"I'm so sorry Bakura; I fell asleep and forgot you were coming! Come in, come in…"

"Don't worry about it."

Smiling, the young man took a seat on the couch, crossing his ankles as he watched the girl close and lock the door. Taking out a bag of teriyaki on top of the coffee table, he prepared everything while Anzu went to get drinking glasses. He knew that she would probably like getting egg rolls, dumplings, and other tasty things that would comfort her. Being injured was something Bakura hated; he had been in her place many times before. If he could do anything to make her happy, he'd try.

"I got a little of everything Anzu, so you don't have to worry about going hungry. Actually, I might have gotten far more than we need…"

"That's fine, I can save the left overs."

She had two glasses in one hand and a pitcher of lemonade in the other. It was the kind that was sugar free, which she liked. Having to stay thin meant cutting out certain calories from her diet, like fat and sweet things. Although Anzu loved eating freely, she couldn't. Not if she wanted to do professional dance.

The assortment of food however was beckoning her. Taking a pair of chopsticks and picking up the chicken covered in teriyaki sauce, she enjoyed the sweet and tangy taste. Sticky rice lay underneath the tender poultry meat, making it easy to enjoy both things without making a mess. Then there was also the salad, with the dressing that stumbled Anzu as she tried figuring out the ingredients.

"This is wonderful Bakura. I didn't know you knew about this sort of thing."

"There are teriyaki chicken places all over town, and this one was close to your house, so I thought maybe you'd like it. The line in front was huge, so it couldn't be awful food."

"No, I've gone to that place before, actually. Sometimes when I'm too lazy to cook and I have some money saved up, I'll get takeout there. Most of the time I can't afford too… But you know how it goes. Poor broke college student, haha…"

Ryou merely smiled in response, taking a piece of chicken for himself and placing it into his mouth. He was so quiet, even in conversation. It always made his friends feel like they were talking too much and Anzu was the sort to get very self-conscious from that sort of thing. Not wanting to be a bother, she pointed her chop sticks at her companion before bringing a dumpling to her mouth asking, "Do you miss high school at all?"

"Miss high school? … Hmmm. Not really."

He didn't say much after that, but neither did Anzu. Silence took over, and after a sideways glance, Bakura tried again.

"I mean, it wasn't terrible. It was fun going on those trips with you all, and I enjoyed dueling. Sometimes I miss it, having friends who enjoyed games as much as I do, and I don't find many people like that here now. Especially someone as talent as Yugi. The only person in Domino who has a talent for it is Kaiba, and he'd never play against me without incentive…"

"He is a good duelist."

"One of the best. Before duel monsters he played chess, and not many people can call themselves actual masters of gaming without knowing how to play chess. He actually was able to beat a world champion, in his prime… It astounds me, when I think about it. I wonder what became of him."

"He's still around."

"Of course he is Anzu; I didn't think he disappeared off the planet. Ha, Seto Kaiba, disappearing… I mean sure, he did it once, but that man loves the lime light too much. He always comes back."

"You sound like a fan, Bakura," remarked Anzu with a laugh, "I didn't know this."

"Well, I appreciate games. So, by default, I admire one of its greatest players. By no means is he a Yugi Mutou. I don't think anyone will be like Yugi; he was just blessed by luck or something… But Kaiba, he's talented and skilled."

"What about the fact that he bullies his opponents until they give up?"

"It's a good strategy. Don't get me wrong, Anzu, it's a very cruel strategy. There are more ethical ways at winning, but it's effective. People get intimidated by him and the man knows how to use his presence against them. He's probably gotten so used to it that it just comes natural to him."

"Maybe… What about Jonouchi? Do you think he's talented?"

"Katsuya? Ha, no… He's well trained. But, I don't think he could really manage it alone. He's the sort who always needs support."

"And what's wrong with that?"

Ryou frowned a little, saying, "To really be strong, one must know how to fight alone."

"And that's why Yugi and Kaiba will always out best him?" replied Anzu.

"Yes, precisely. It isn't fair at all, Anzu, but when playing war games, you can't always rely on others. I know when I play games; I only have myself to depend on. The encouragement of friends is helpful but I need to truly believe in myself first."

"And you don't think Jonouchi believes in himself?"

"No, that's not quite what I'm saying…"

Bakura sighed, before using his chop sticks to pick up a stray dumpling. Carefully, he dunked it into sauce, letting it soak in the liquid before taking a bite. The perfect blend of pork and spices, he paused for a while, savoring it before smiling and continuing with the conversation. Anzu, slightly amused, merely scoffed.

"I don't think Katsuya believes in himself as much as the others do. His self-esteem is better than it used to be, but he doesn't have the ruthlessness of a born winner. He won't do whatever possible to win."

"… But Bakura, it's just card games."

Musing over it, the white haired male shrugged. What Anzu said was right, but still… Although the teen wasn't very aggressive, nor much of a fighter, he knew a thing or two about what it took to survive. For a long time, he watched in the sidelines as Yugi and his friends fumbled through Domino, winning card games and getting titles for themselves. He deserved far more credit than what people gave him.

"It's not just a card game, Anzu. For some people, like Yugi, it's a way of life. They can't afford to lose."

This was true. Feeling a bit humbled, Anzu slouched into the couch thinking over it. Her face had the expression of puzzlement as her blue eyes stared blankly in front of her. It explained everything really. Why her friends took such stupid games so seriously. When Yugi told her he was going to America to make something of it, she shouldn't have dismissed it so quickly in her mind. He was serious about it.

And Kaiba. There was no question there, the man was as serious as a toothache when it came to duel monsters. Very little mattered more to him.

"… I wish I could stay longer, Anzu, but it's getting late and I got to get going. Whenever you're feeling lonely just give me a call. School doesn't have me too strapped down yet that I can't visit an old friend."

Always the gentleman, Bakura helped his host place all the leftovers away. After putting them into the fridge, Anzu gave him a hug. It was so rare that she ever got to see a friend from high school. College afforded her new acquaintances, but not like the true friendships she formed at Domino High. It pulled at her heart a little.

"I'll see you around, Bakura. Be safe."

And with a wave and a nod, the teen was gone.


	5. Chapter 5: Korean

It had been ten days since Anzu had last seen Seto Kaiba. For whatever reason, the man had disappeared from her life doing whatever it was busy billionaires did with their limited amounts of personal time. Maybe he decided that spending his meal times with a wannabe dancer was a waste of his precious evenings. Or maybe he found some other female to harass.

Whichever it was, for some reason it burned at Anzu. She couldn't let it go. Whenever a text came over her phone, the girl hoped that it would be Kaiba's private number. Slightly intimidated still, she couldn't make herself contact him first. He was always the one to come for her. This way, Anzu never risked rejection.

However, a phone call never came. Instead were the messages of friends, ballet instructors, co-workers, and the parents who never ceased to annoy her. There was no private call beckoning for her attention. For all she knew, Kaiba had forgotten about her already.

Thinking this, the brunette frowned as she waited tables. Burger World was busy, full of evening customers all tipping the college student quite generously despite the girl's frowning expression. It made her look a little mysterious, and everyone loved a good mystery. How could someone so beautiful and pristine look so forlorn?

"A girl outta be crossed in love at least once in her life time."

"Excuse me?"

The old woman in the booth chuckled, wiping her chin with a napkin. She must have thought she was very clever trying to guess where Anzu's head was. Despite being wise in years, the graying grandmother was wrong. Anzu was not in love, although slightly cross. Being told otherwise just infuriated her.

"Crossed in love. You look like someone pinning over a boy."

"Ma'am, I don't discuss my personal life with customers."

"Eh, your face tells enough, sweet heart. You didn't even need words."

There was a smile and a wink before the hag went back to talking with her grandchildren. The nerve of some people!

Three hours passed before Anzu's mood improved. After making a few thousand yen in tips, she mellowed out and everything went back to normal. Soon, her cherry bright countenance retuned, that cheesy yet warming smile people loved when greeted service members.

"Welcome to Burger World. My name is Anzu, and I will be serving you tonight. If you'd just follow me…"

Between two bacon cheese burgers and a fully loaded Coney dog, blue eyes caught sight of a familiar figure. Dark hair lying flat against the man's head with the tips almost touching the back of the neck, it was too recognizable. It sat above wide shoulders, which appeared stiff and tense, covered by a thin black shirt that failed to hide the lean muscles that lay underneath. His feet were crossed, one thigh laying a top the other in a fashion Anzu couldn't help but find intriguing.

"What is Kaiba doing in a burger joint?"

Making her way over to the table, she bit her lip. Not hard enough to draw blood, but just enough to keep Anzu from smiling. She couldn't be happy at seeing him again. He had ignored her like the asshole he was, and it was within her rights to be angry at him. If she wasn't angry, he'd walk all over her.

When she stood in front of him, the man's eyes didn't betray him. If anything, they brightened up a bit, like he had been expecting to see her. A sly grin grew across his face and with a twinge of sarcasm, he said to Anzu, "I didn't know you worked here of all places."

"Why didn't you call me?"

"I already told you on Tuesday, I wouldn't be able to see you. Can't say I didn't warn you."

"Kaiba, you disappeared for over a week."

"But I came back, didn't I?"

Snickering with self-satisfaction, he opened his menu and scanned the options. Blue eyes narrowed as he read the listings, not at all impressed by what it read. If anything, it made his lips curl in contempt reading a menu full of grease burgers and oil dipped French fries. Maybe he was expecting more, but there was a reason why "Burger World" was the name of the establishment.

"Mazaki, I hope you don't actually eat this crap…"

"You seriously think with me trying to become a professional dancer, I'd eat fries caked in animal fat on a daily basis?"

"Yes. I've seen the dog eat this shit before."

Fuming, the brunette slammed a hand on the table, resting her hip against the edge. She bore her eyes into the man sitting in front of her, not amused by his smug grin. Despite his masculine looking face, dark eyes, clear skin, and perfectly shaped face (as well as the small barely noticeable freckles on top of it), she could not be won over. Not when her ego had been so thoroughly insulted.

"First off, Katsuya isn't a dog-"

"You knew exactly who I was referring to, only furthering my point-"

"-Second, I don't know why you'd think my tastes would be the same as his just because we're friends. Really, it makes me wonder why I bother with you in the first place. You are seriously one of the most confusing people I've ever met. Don't come and see me like this if you don't plan on being civil."

"Really Mazaki, you think I came for you? Ha. I was hungry and this place was near the office."

That was too much for her. Without saying anything else, the girl stormed off. Anzu hoped that would be last of Kaiba she'd be seeing for a long time. The man had pissed her off, hitting a soft spot she didn't like being brought up. Most people couldn't dig deep enough at her to do that, but when it came to work… She was already sensitive about it. Her parents didn't want her working somewhere so low brow. Having Kaiba confirm that and more, well, it hurt more than she would have liked to admit.

After another two hours of work, finally Anzu was free. Her hair was damp with sweat, and she smelled like grease, but her pockets were full of money. Anzu was officially three thousand yen richer, and she'd throw all of it into savings. Dance was expensive, and no matter how much she made from tips, the money always seemed to disappear faster than she could replace it.

To her surprise, Kaiba was waiting for her in front of his car. It was the red Ferrari, which she remembered being in the last time they were together at night. The vehicle was hot and sexy, like something out of GQ, and it almost looked too loud for someone like Kaiba. Silver seemed like something more fitting, but still… she couldn't help but stare in envy.

"Don't be stubborn and let me drive you home," said Kaiba, leaning against the frame of the vehicle.

"I can take the bus…"

"You can, but you won't."

It didn't sound like a request. Opening the door, the tall male waited for Anzu to submit to his will. Instead of walking towards him right away though, she had a stare down. She didn't want to do what he said, or at least not right away. Vindictiveness was in her nature and crossing her arms like a spoiled little girl, the brunette's face turned sour with annoyance.

"Get in the car, Mazaki."

"Why should I?"

"Because it's dark, you're a girl, and I don't want you traveling alone. So just get in the car."

"Maybe I don't want to."

"Maybe I'm not giving you much of a choice."

"What are you going to do, force me in?"

"Would you like to find out?"

Rolling her eyes, Anzu ignored the threat and walking away. She didn't think he'd actually do anything, but when strong hands grabbed her shoulders roughly, it took her completely off guard. Naturally Anzu struggled, fighting against Kaiba while trying to break free. If she had a purse, she would have smacked him with it, but alas, there was nothing to hit with.

"Let go off me!" she screamed loudly, pulling away.

"Stop being a brat, and I will," yelled Kaiba back, "you're being ridiculous."

"You can't make me go with you. It isn't legal."

"Just try and stop me then."

That made Anzu grin. Using the heel on her shoe, she drove it right into Kaiba's boot, heeling around and hitting him with her elbow when the shock loosen his grip. Maybe he didn't anticipate her fighting back, but Anzu wasn't going to do anything by force. She'd have to be convinced into the car.

"Just get in, Mazaki. You're acting like a child."

"I can take myself home, thanks."

"You're upset because I didn't call you, and know you're acting out."

Instead of saying anything, Anzu just kept on walking. She ignored his words, and becoming desperate, Kaiba got into the car to chase after her. He never lost a battle, and he would get that stubborn girl into his car, somehow. Maybe if he said the right things to her, she could be reasoned with.

"Mazaki, I told you I wouldn't be around. I don't get why you'd be this upset, it wasn't like you and I were friends."

"I didn't see it that way."

The Ferrari spun around, stopping a few feet in front of Anzu, cutting her off from walking away. Annoyed and frustrated, she stood there for a while, hugging the trench coat around her as the car's driver got out once again. Whatever he had to say, she didn't have the patience to hear it.

"Fine. You're right, Mazaki. We're friends, even if I hate seeing it that way. You win. So would you please just get in the damn car? Just look at yourself. I can tell by your face that you don't really want to be standing out there in the cold. Stop being so damn stubborn."

She stared at him for a good while before looking back towards the bus stop. No one was there and if she blew him off, she'd have to wait alone. That didn't look like a good prospect, even if she'd done it before. Weird people rode buses at night and a free ride from a friend… Well, it was better than waiting alone out in the cold.

"Fine, asshole."

Getting into the car, Anzu buckled her seat belt and crossed her legs. She wouldn't even look the man in the face, instead turning away to stare out the window. He was right about not going back home alone at night, but she'd never admit it. In a perfect world women wouldn't have to worry about thugs, but Domino was full of them and Anzu had her fair share of close calls. Unlike most of Japan, the city wasn't all that safe.

Once they reached her house, Anzu didn't wait for Kaiba to be ready before getting out. She rushed towards her apartment, fumbling with the pockets of her coat while trying to get her house keys. Unlike the times before, she didn't want him thinking he was invited into her house after ignoring her for so long.

"Mazaki…"

It didn't take long for Kaiba to catch up. He was standing behind her, like a shadow. Apparently he wasn't quite ready to leave her presence, because by the look on his face, it appeared like he had intentions of coming inside.

"What do you want?"

"Some company."

Rolling her eyes, Anzu wanted to blow him off. She wanted to ignore him like he had ignored her and it was so difficult to do. Being alone was hard, and she wasn't cut out for it. Someone needed to keep her company or she got sad, and even if that person was Kaiba, it was better than feeling isolated in her apartment.

"I thought you preferred being by yourself," remarked Anzu.

"You know what Mazaki? Sometimes I do. But right now, I'd like to come inside with you. Is that a problem?"

Turning around to look at the man's eyes, the girl sighed. "I guess not."

"You know you couldn't turn me down even if you wanted to."

Comments like that made her want to slap the man upside the head. Opening the door, she said nothing to refute him, but after locking behind her and dumping her coat on the table, she left to her room. Smelling like grease just became more noticeable once she was out of Burger World and she needed cleaning up. If Kaiba wanted company, he'd have to wait until she was finished.

Her bedroom was dark. Turning on the lights, she sat on the edge of her bed and began peeling her clothes off. First came off the cheap work shoes, followed by the tight blouse. Wanting to wash her hair, the girl also undid her pony tail, letting her long hair fall against her back, and worked on unclasping her bra. Lastly fell the skirt and boy shorts underwear, leaving them on the ground as she walked over to her bathroom.

A bath would have felt good, but a shower was faster. Turning on the hot water, Anzu stepped inside a spray of heat. Her hair immediately went limp against her skin and closing her eyes, she could only stand there and enjoy the serenity of it all. Being alone and feeling the odors of human kind leaving her skin, it just felt so good. Soon she'd be her normal self again.

Hair washing didn't take long. Using a comb, she went through the knots and lathered it up with shampoo. Soon her brown tresses were dark and smooth again, smelling of the baby oil she used in it. Then for her body, she took a bar of dove soap and rubbed it into her wet wash cloth, using it on herself. Every inch of her body needed to be cleansed. Nothing would be left untouched.

Once clean, she stepped out of the room, wrapped in a towel. Steam poured into her bedroom, and taking a seat on her bed, she worked on braiding her hair. It was longer than it used to be back in high school now that it reached past her shoulders. asHastily, Anzu made one messy braid to the back of her head. From the end of it, water dripped down her back, but soon the whole thing would dry from airing out.

Now to find her clothes, which were dumped haphazardly into her drawers whenever the girl did laundry. Anzu wasn't a neat freak like some, and being the busy sort of person with other things on her mind, she didn't spend a great deal of time tidying up. Things were left a bit all over the place, and after putting on a bra and pair of silk underwear, she gave up on wearing normal clothes and just grabbed shorts and a tank top.

Coming back into her living room, she was surprised to find her guest sitting on the couch reading. He kept eyeing the clock on the wall until his eyes fell on her form. Then, moving over some, he waited for her to take a seat, his expression one between confusion and intrigue.

"I looked in your kitchen and you didn't have anything here to cook," he said first, turning his eyes back towards his book in what appeared to be an attempt to avoid eye contact.

"Not enough time for it. You know how to cook, Kaiba?"

"Well enough. I ordered take out."

"When will it be here?" asked Anzu.

"Soon." Snorting, he turned his full attention back to the novel. It was something he started reading last time he came over. At least Anzu had good taste in literature.

"Why do you have to be so damn vague? Whatever, Kaiba. Enjoy your book. I'm glad to see you're making yourself at home here. Just what I wanted."

Smirking, the male lifted his feet and sat them on top of the girl's coffee table, crossing them at the ankles. He was smug about it, and the gesture didn't make the hostess smile from amusement. She was mad.

"Get your feet off my coffee table."

"Make me."

"Fine."

Grumbling, she tried moving them with much difficulty. Kaiba was wearing such heavy black boots, and although she managed to knock them off the table, he just sat them back up again. He didn't seem bothered in the least, his eyes remained focused on his novel as she tried again, giving his thigh one big pound of her fist before giving up.

"What the fuck was that for, Mazaki? What are you, ten years old?" he yelled out, eyes staring at her fist.

"Do I look like a ten year old?"

The question was rhetorical, but it didn't stop Kaiba from playing along. Bemused, he sat his book down and turned his body around, giving his companion a sweep over with his eyes before folding his arms in thought.

"No. You look too mature for ten, but you could get away with sixteen in that outfit."

"Excuse me?"

"You look like jailbait in that outfit."

"It's a tank top and shorts, how could I possibly look like jailbait wearing that? Jesus, you're just saying that shit to piss me off."

"It's so easy to do."

Jumping off the couch, Anzu stalked off into the kitchen. She could hear the man snickering behind her, but she didn't care.

"Mazaki, you need to learn to stop being so damn sensitive," said Kaiba from the living room.

Rolling her eyes, she got a glass of water from the faucet. The rush of H2O drowned out the man's low voice for a good while before she had to turn it off. Looking back towards the living room from over the counter, Anzu could see the look of satisfaction on his face. Ugh, if she could only find a way to wipe that grin off for good. Why was he so good at getting under her skin?

The doorbell rang before Anzu could take her seat back on the couch. Kaiba got up though, and opening the front door, paid the man who delivered a large package of something she couldn't exactly make out. There were several large white Styrofoam containers, and watching the man sit it all down on the table, her nose gave the cuisine away.

"Korean? I haven't had decent Korean in months…"

Large blue eyes followed Kaiba's hands as he showed off everything he ordered. There was Korean barbequed beef, rice, kimchi, two cartons of noodles in hot broth with scallions, cooked vegetables with chili peppers, sesame oil, and garlic, as well as sweet potato noodles with carrots, onions, spinach, and mushrooms. The man had good tastes, similar tastes in food at least in comparison to what Anzu liked to eat. She wasn't disappointed at all.

"It seemed more interesting than just Chinese takeout," said Kaiba, "so I decided to do you a favor tonight."

"Heh. You've been redeemed in my eyes now, Kaiba, I can like you again."

"I didn't know you liked me in the first place."

Instead of answering that, the long legged girl skipped off again to grab chop sticks. Impatient, her larger companion watched his expression unreadable, before taking the chop sticks when Anzu handled them over to him. She was smiling at him now, taking a seat next to him while Kaiba continued to stare at her.

"Why are you looking at me like that, Mazaki?"

"Nothing. Can't I be happy?"

"It's unsettling. You were pissed just a few minutes ago."

Shrugging, the dark haired girl grabbed her pair of chop sticks and began eating. She wasn't going to wait for Kaiba to get with the program, and by the looks he was giving her, he'd rather look irritated than eat. Didn't matter to Anzu any though. Her stomach was a pit of anger and it needed food. If Kaiba wanted to study the eating habits of a twenty year old female, then she'd let him.

"Before I forget, thanks for dinner. Now I can forgive you for that stunt you pulled at the parking lot. Some nerve," she uttered between bites of food.

"That I cared enough for your safety that I drove you home?" replied Kaiba.

"More like you tried man handled me into your car!"

"You should be grateful; I don't just chauffeur anybody."

"I would have made it back here alone fine," Anzu answered back.

"You don't know that."

"Thanks Kaiba for your optimism."

He didn't say anything after that, grumbling to himself. Anzu was good with words, and this was one of those times where he couldn't figure out a good retort, so he just settled for eating the beef with kimchi. With his mouth stuffed with food, a silence swept across the room.

But it wasn't the awkward kind. Anzu actually liked it. She could eat with this man in silence and not feel self-conscious about it. Normally whenever she was with someone of the opposite sex, her nerves were on fire. Eyes were always on her, but not with the duelist she grew to tolerate. He didn't seem too interested in her outside the occasional companion for dinner and that suited her just fine. Finally, someone she didn't need to impress.

The only odd part of it was that her new friend was Seto Kaiba. Her friends from high school would never understand that, although they would probably never know about it. He wasn't so bad in private anyways, when he didn't have an admiring crowd or younger brother to impress. In private, despite being rude, he was much more normal and social like anyone else. People weren't meant to be alone, and just because Kaiba put up the front of being a loner didn't mean Anzu bought the act. Everyone needed a friend.

Once the dinner was finished, Anzu collected all the trash and dumped it in the can underneath the sink. The glasses of water went inside the dishwasher and the chop sticks were easy enough to wash by hand. It was only fair to clean up after having dinner bought and paid for. She wouldn't complain.

Finished, she got her spot back on the couch. Folding her bare legs underneath her ass, the female pulled her arms over her head to undo the braid in her hair. For whatever reason, the style was bothering her. Catching her image in the mirror, she did look like some fifteen year old jail bait, and maybe a pony tail would be better. It wasn't like she had anyone to impress either, but sometimes little things like appearances nagged at her.

"What are you doing?"

Kaiba was staring blankly at her. The expression on his face was one of confusion and interest. What was so interesting about hair, Anzu didn't know, but his gaze didn't bother her at all. It was nice for once to actually know what Kaiba was thinking about when she looked at him.

"Unbraiding my hair. I look like jail bait, remember," she said while pulling out the bands.

"It wouldn't have mattered if you were wearing your hair like that or not," he remarked back.

"Oh shut up about it already."

"Make me, Mazaki. Besides I feel like pointing out the obvious since it sounds like no one else has."

"I used to think you were some asshole, but now I can see you're just a pig."

"Swine are very intelligent animals. I'll take that as a compliment."

Scoffing, Anzu turned her back on him.

"People are never going to stop looking at you. Most girls enjoy the attention, but I can see now that you're not most girls. Would you rather be some ugly revolting looking thing?"

"No."

"Then what's the problem with being attractive?"

She didn't say anything. The only response he got was another scoff. It wasn't until a few minutes past did Anzu finally respond.

"You think I'm attractive, Kaiba?"

"You're not ugly," he answered.

"Either you think I'm good looking or you don't."

"Why do you need an answer so badly, Mazaki? What does it matter to you?"

"I want to know your intentions," she answered, "that's all."

"I don't have any intentions."

"Then why do you hang out with me?"

"I enjoy your company. Now will you drop it?"

Sulking, Kaiba looked away. Immediately Anzu dropped the subject, and sitting on the opposite side of the couch, she thought about what he said. He didn't find her ugly. In an odd way that was a relief. Her own eyes sometimes gazed over him when he wasn't looking, although she'd never admit that. Kaiba was fair skinned almost to a fault, like someone who didn't get out enough, but it grew on her.

Getting lost in her thoughts, she barely noticed when he finally rose up.

"Are you about to go?" she asked, a hint of disappointment in her voice.

"Yes. I need to check up on my brother, and since you don't need babysitting like last time, I'm going home."

"I kinda wish you wouldn't."

It just slipped out. The look on Kaiba's shocked face told her she said too much, but oh well. Too late, he had heard her, and shaking his head, the man opened the door and left. Maybe, if she was lucky, he'd forget about it the next day.

"… Who am I kidding? He'll remember."


	6. Chapter 6: Vietnamese

Whenever Seto Kaiba had to sit in on a meeting he wasn't particularly interested in, he had the annoying habit of clicking his pen incessantly. People who knew him best knew that it wasn't a good sign when this occurred because usually the events that followed ended in disaster. Some poor junior executive would be told in front of all his peers in excruciating detail why all his ideas were absurd and that someone so poorly educated didn't belong in the company; or a secretary who came into the room at the wrong time would become the target of her boss's flash of anger, which wouldn't stop until the poor employee got enough sense to leave the room. If they dared to break down and cry, it always ended up being their last day at Kaiba Corp.

The worst pen clicking to date happened when Kaiba was just sixteen. It was right before the last meeting between him and Gozaburo. Unfortunately for Gozaburo, he ended up smeared across the pavement in front of Kaiba Corp as his better, the genius stepson, looked over the disposal of his remains.

"I believe, ladies and gentlemen, our dear CEO has heard enough tonight. We shall continue tomorrow again at eight."

The new staff was wizening up. They didn't keep their boss past five. His secretary closed his office by five-fifteen, and usually Kaiba stayed another forty-five minutes alone preparing for the next day before going home. Every night the chauffer meet him in front of Kaiba Corp right at six-fifteen, and just until recently, Kaiba went home each night to do more work before going to bed and repeating himself the very next day.

It was a very dull life. Despite being wealthy and famous, most days required strenuous amounts of energy. By the time Domino's night life had awakened, all the man could think about doing was going back to bed. He needed all the rest he could get. Years of sleep deprivation was starting to get to him and the doctors warned him that his health would go bad if he didn't take better care of himself.

Kaiba for once actually listened to their advice.

But then he met up with an old acquaintance. There was a pretty girl with a smart mouth from his high school that he had run into by accident one night that intrigued him. Since then, as much as he could, Kaiba made sure to bump into her, buying the girl dinner occasionally as an excuse to see her.

Some people would call it dating but he didn't see it that way. Dating would imply romantic intentions and Kaiba wasn't a romantic. He believed, quite strongly too, that his personality offended most females, men weren't attractive, and since he was such a damaged individual, that he'd die a bachelor. At twenty-one years old, the prospect of such a life didn't bother him.

Anzu Mazaki was a distraction. A pretty, witty, intelligent distraction that would bore him after a few weeks; less if he lost his temper with her. She could be fun to tease and take out every once in a while, but there was nothing serious going on. When people asked where he went with his Ferrari at night (mainly Isono, who lacked a personal life), he'd tell them he was picking up hookers and dumping their bodies over Domino Bridge. It was just as believable a story as what he was actually doing.

It was the weekend. Every other weekend, Anzu had to work at Burger World to pay off her dance lessons. Kaiba found the burger joint slightly degrading, but he parked outside the place regardless for her so she wouldn't be getting herself home alone. Although Japan was pretty safe, he still didn't trust the bus system. Weird people rode the bus at night.

As usual by late evening, Anzu would appear walking out of the restaurant and for some reason, looked surprised to see the fancy ass sports car parked out front for her even though this wasn't the first time he had waited for her. It had been a month now since they first bumped into each other, and after memorizing the girl's schedule, he was always there. For whatever reason though it always seemed to take her by surprise. Before getting into the car, she'd always hesitate, like it was some sort of trap.

"I wish you wouldn't wait for me."

Anzu always had something like that to say. Not a "thank you", or "I can't believe you're doing this for me", but some statement that was supposed to remind him of how independent of him she was. That she didn't need his help and she was actually doing him a favor by allowing him to pick her smelly ass from said burger joint.

The nerve.

"I wish you wouldn't complain about it," Kaiba would tell her, before turning on the engine.

"You act as if I didn't get myself home for months before you came around."

"I turned on the radio for a reason, Mazaki, and it wasn't to hear your voice competing against it."

A comment like that would usually make her stop. She'd sit back against the leather seats of the car sulking, crossing her legs as her eyes turned towards the window. Kaiba was always able to get a few glances in when they were on the freeway and it was interesting to see Anzu when she didn't know she was being looked at. Once her temper died down some, her eyes seemed to soften and she had this distant look on her face as if she were somewhere else.

"Mazaki?"

"Hmm?"

"I need to ask a favor of you."

Turning around, she faced him, laying her hands on her lap. Now that she had a few minutes to cool down, Kaiba knew she'd be more receptive to helping him. She wasn't mean spirited as long as he didn't push her too far. He still didn't know what her breaking point was though and he was slightly too timid to find out.

At least while driving his half a million dollar vehicle.

"You see my company wants to hold a private dinner party at this hotel in town. It requires me to have a date, and since you're the only somewhat respectable female I know, I'm obligated to ask you to come along with me."

"How thoughtful of you, "replied Anzu, rolling her eyes.

"If anyone uses any big words you don't understand, you can always just whisper to them in my ear, and I'll tell you what they are."

"Shut your mouth Kaiba, you aren't helping your cause."

"Like you'd say no to me."

"Sounds like you want to test out that theory. Tease me again and see what happens."

He wouldn't press his luck. Scoffing though, Kaiba turned all concentration back on the road. She would say yes to him anyways. It was a free dinner with a chance for her to meet people who might be able to make her dancing career dreams a reality. The people who were coming to this engagement weren't his inferiors. They were everyone in Domino who mattered. People Anzu would never see in her lifetime if he hadn't thought of taking her.

And she threatened to turn him down. Unlikely story.

"You'll need to get a dress. The dress code requires formal wear, and anything costing less than the dinner on our plates won't be enough… Don't worry about it, I'll cover it."

"Where am I supposed to get such a dress in so little time?"

"I know people."

"People?"

Glancing over to Anzu's side of the car, she could see her brow raise in question.

"Yes, people. Just pick whatever you want, and they'll have you fitted and bill the dress on my account. Don't look at the price tags and pick something that looks nice on you. Cost is not a factor."

"… Who are these people?"

"My personal shoppers."

Did she honestly expect someone as busy as he was to bother getting all his own clothes? Sometimes he forgot just how the other half lived, because when Kaiba glanced at her face, he could see that puzzled expression written all over it. When he actually thought about it too, he had never once in his life bought clothes for himself. Someone else was always doing it for him.

"… And when am I supposed to be meeting up with these said personal shoppers?"

"Tomorrow. They'll stop by your house and show you what they have for the dinner. It's far easier doing it that way than wasting time at a store trying to figure out what's in fashion and what isn't."

"I never really cared about those sorts of things."

"Broke people usually don't."

Snorting, Anzu just ignore her driver. She had that look of contempt on her face, something that just didn't bother Kaiba in the least. If she wanted to take offense to the obvious, then she could. It wasn't hurting him any, she'd still end up being his date regardless. They fought enough on a daily basis that he knew she'd forget the moment entirely after a good five minutes had gone by.

"… If I go to this dinner with you, will you do something for me?"

Now she was happy again. Her eyes were big and bright, like shinning sapphires, and he knew that look too well. Mokuba did the same thing whenever he thought about asking for a car. Something Kaiba still was thinking over…

"Depends on what it is."

"See a ballet with me?" she asked.

"… Hell no."

"Oh come on, I'll even buy the tickets! Have you even ever been to a show? It's not that bad."

"-Says the ballet dancer," he answered unenthusiastically.

"I'm not going to this dinner unless you come with me."

"Don't you have some other guy friend of yours to bother with this sort of crap?" 

"No. I'd drag Bakura Ryou, but he's busy that night. You're the only other person I know who could come along."

"Try harder at convincing him."

"Kaiba, please!"

He didn't answer her. Instead of saying anything else, Kaiba parked the car in front of Anzu's house and left her inside to fume. There was no way on earth he was going to allow himself to get dragged to a concert for a girl. That wasn't going to happen.

"Kaiba!"

Anzu got out of the car, slamming the door behind her like the prissy princess she was, arms folded. Her face was red and every time she huffed, a puff of cold air escaped her lips. It was more comical than anything. What was she doing to do, refuse to go inside her own house? Solid plan.

"You need to be reasonable! If I'm going to do you a favor, you need to do me one too."

"Bring you to this dinner /is/ doing you a favor."

"That's not how I see it. Ugh, I don't even know why I bothered asking you about the ballet in the first place. I knew you'd act like this and say no…"

Kaiba watched her with his arms folded as she passed him, wrinkling her nose like a rabbit as she unlocked her front door. Once inside, she dumped all her things on the table, heading towards her bedroom, leaving him alone. Not that he cared, Kaiba couldn't be guiled. If she wanted to give him the cold shoulder, she could. It wouldn't change anything.

Locking the door behind him, Kaiba scanned the living room before turning on the lights. He liked Anzu's small apartment. Unlike the old mansion that still didn't even feel like his house, this place belonged to its owner. It smelled like vanilla, something that seemed to have a soothing effect on Kaiba in ways that other odors didn't, and Anzu always had a hint of it on her skin even after coming back from Burger World.

Then there were the pictures she had framed on the bookshelves. A black haired woman with long hair, three similar looking daughters with brown instead, and a proud father with blonde hair and grey eyes who seemed far too relaxed in Kaiba's opinion for someone trapped in a household full of women. They all looked very attractive, but Anzu had the most youthful face of all of them, even more so than her younger sister.

Amongst the family portrait was a silver framed black and white photo. Picking it up to examine the shot, Kaiba could only make out the figure to be a ballet dancer at first, balancing on one pointed toe while her other leg stretched out perfectly aligned behind her. Looking closer he could see that it was Anzu, her face nearly unrecognizable behind the glittering makeup and pulled back hair. For once, she didn't look like such a kid.

"Liking what you're seeing?"

She was back, walking over in that curious manner of hers to see what he was holding in his hands Kaiba could only assume. Dressed back down in sweat pants and an oversized t-shirt with her hair in a ponytail, Anzu looked positively normal in comparison to the woman his eyes were looking at just a second ago. How did they manage to get her so cleaned up? At least he knew she'd look halfway decent at the dinner.

"When was this picture?"

"Which picture?"

Grabbing it out of Kaiba's hands, Anzu examined the shot before giving it back, smiling to herself. "This," she said in a rather satisfied tone, "was my first performance at college level dance a year back. We were doing Giselle and I had the lead. It was the best moment in my life."

"Do you still know the show?"

"By heart."

Sighing, Anzu turned around and collapsed on her couch rather dramatically, looking quite put out. Her eyes were staring out at the kitchen but her body didn't budge from its place. He couldn't tell what exactly she was thinking, but it appeared to Kaiba that she was arguing over something in her mind.

"It's late, I'm hungry and I can't make up my mind over what I want to eat."

"We could go out."

Blinking, she turned her head and stared at Kaiba. Maybe she wasn't too partial with that plan, but it wasn't like she kept much food in her house. From what he'd seen, all Anzu had was vegetables and fruit for snacks. There was very little of anything else besides that, and he figured it was because of her diet for dance.

"Depends on what it is, though. I need to watch what I eat, I have ballet auditions for "Cinderella" coming soon and my figure can't gain another pound before then."

"Gain a pound where?" thought Kaiba, but he didn't feel like getting into it with her. If she wanted to worry over dieting, that was her business. In his opinion, despite her curvy figure, Anzu was still too skinny. Her waist was tiny and she had hardly any fat on her. However, he doubted that she'd want to hear that from him.

"When's your audition?"

"A month from now. It's for parts at the fine arts program I'm going to in New York soon. I need to find out which character I'll perform, and I'm hoping for the Diamond Fairy. I know you don't know about ballet, but she has the best solo, in my opinion."

"… You're leaving to New York?"

This was news. Why hadn't she said anything about it before?"

"Yes Kaiba, I thought you already knew? I'm leaving for the summer and I'll be back in the fall in time for school again. It's just a temporary thing..."

"… Unless?"

"…Unless I get into the program for good. I might be able to transfer. That's what I'm hoping for."

"You're going to leave Domino for good so you can go dance in New York?"

"Yes. That's what I've wanted… Do you doubt my abilities?" she asked, frowning.

"How could I doubt you Mazaki, I've never seen you dance before."

"One day you should… I've thought of a place to go now. Come on."

Anzu jumped off the couch and quickly got her shoes on, looking almost kid like with the huge smile on her face. What she just got all excited over, Kaiba wasn't sure. The girl had more mood swings than he could keep up with, and her sudden energy kick threw him off. It made him wonder a little about her sanity too.

"Go for dinner?"

"Of course silly, why else would we be leaving the house?"

When she headed for the door, Kaiba swore to himself that Anzu had rolled her eyes at him. Calling him silly was insulting enough…

"Mazaki, don't call me silly. Ever."

"Why not?"

She stopped and leaned against the door, hands on her hips. It was like she was trying to be serious and intimidating, but just failed at it from the obvious way her eyes wouldn't stop smiling at him. Anzu appeared to be trying to keep something funny to herself and Kaiba wanted to know what…

"It's irritating."

"That can't be helped, you're an irritable person. Maybe if you'd lighten up some, it wouldn't be such a problem for you. Some would say you're being far too sensitive about it. Or, in my personal opinion, you take yourself far too seriously."

"Oh shut up."

Once out the door, Kaiba followed Anzu without question, much like an obedient dog. Never saying a word, his eyes stayed on her body as she walked ahead in that motion between a skip and a step, something so juvenile compared to the stalking sort of stride he made himself. How could she get so much enjoyment out of being like that? Especially when he couldn't see people taking Anzu too seriously, her youth was so obvious to everyone around her.

"Kaiba, are you ignoring me now?" she called out behind her, smiling to no one in particular.

"No."

"You've gone all quiet. I'm kind of getting worried about you now."

"Mazaki, I'm fine. Although you don't appreciate it being of the female persuasion, silence suits me. Sometimes I just don't feel like talking," he replied.

"Hmmm. Okay. As long as you aren't feeling shy now that we're in public together." She that in a rather teasing sing-song voice sort of way that made Kaiba's stomach flop at the last word. _Together?_ They weren't together and he had nothing to be shy about. It wasn't a date.

"I don't get shy."

Anzu only smiled at that, and before Kaiba could say more, she stopped in front of an old looking shop. The place was dimly lit and smelled amazing, like limes and Asian basil leaves. Something delicious was waiting for him, and he was much more excited now to see that Anzu made a good dinner choice, despite annoying him half to death while getting there.

"I hope you like pho, Kaiba."

"Pho?"

"Beef noodles. I thought a man of the world like you must have had them before, but if not; you're in for a special treat!"

She took a seat in the back of the restaurant where they'd have some privacy away from the other customers who were too busy slurping their soup to notice their presence. Kaiba wasn't embarrassed to be in her company in public, but he hated the feeling of people's eyes creeping on him. People were always getting into his business, and if he could avoid the spot light in his personal time, it made him a very happy man.

Thankfully, Anzu knew that without having to be told. Their dinner location was small, with limited capacity, and was usually only full of local dinners. No one the businessman knew from the city would be around, nor would the press who liked to create rumors about his private life. They were across town chasing after lesser celebrities.

When the lady came to take their orders, surprisingly Anzu handled the entire thing. There was no menu to order off of and she seemed to know already what to get. "Two orders of large beef noodles with medium spice please." Within minutes, their soups had appeared, steaming flowing off the bowls as Anzu used her chop sticks to move around the food inside of it.

There were thick noodles in boiling liquid inside, with rare cuts of steak that cooked in the juices. The woman left behind a large platter of seasonings with cut limes, basil, green sprouts, onions, and chili to put on top for heat. Not afraid of spice, Anzu was generous with her's, turning the yellowish-gold soup red from chili sauce.

"This is the best comfort food in the world," she told Kaiba, before starting to eat it.

Kaiba looked at her for support before picking up his chop sticks and bringing some of the meat and noodles to his mouth. The taste was amazing. It was such a simple dish, but the flavors were rich and tense. He could taste the beef in the broth, which had to have stewed for hours. There were so many different things in it, and adding more lime just made his skin tingle with over stimulus every time he brought more to his lips.

"This is really good."

"See Kaiba? Just because I work in a burger joint doesn't mean I don't have good taste in food. You should put more faith in me next time."

The walk back had him content. Even though he was still behind his companion who didn't wait up for him, he left far less bothered than he did coming to the restaurant. Maybe the food was mind altering. Anzu's cherry disposition hadn't changed since deciding where to eat, not even when she paid the bill. Even when Kaiba tried baiting her into a tantrum, she took all his comments in stride.

Coming home, she only then frowned when Kaiba stopped in front of her doorway, unsure over entering again or not. It was late, and he was tired, but a small part of him wasn't quite ready to make the trip home yet.

But that was partly why he needed to go soon. He couldn't let Anzu trap him into staying, and he was being too dependent upon her already. She was going to leave him soon, and he'd be alone again. The nerve of Anzu, playing Kaiba so easily when she just planned on tossing him to the curb for New York as soon as the chance came, like he was something for her to use.

In that regard, she was like everyone else in his disappointing life.

"You're not leaving so soon, are you?"

She sounded hesitant to ask, but Kaiba just shrugged her off.

"I'll need to soon. It's late, and I have a meeting in the morning."

"Fine. I'll see you later then."

Narrowing her eyes at Kaiba, Anzu opened her apartment door and already planned to slam it in his face when Kaiba's hand stopped her. He had grabbed the door handle and being much stronger than she was, over powered her enough to step half way through before her grip loosened. Pride wouldn't allow him to just stand there and be shut upon.

"What's wrong with you, Mazaki?" he asked, looking pissed off while she avoided his eyes.

"Nothing."

"Stop lying. You were happy one moment and now you're pissed off with me. I can see it all over your face."

"… I don't like how you dismiss me so easily. It's like I don't mean anything to you. Do you even still consider me a friend or were you just lying? Probably not, you don't have use for friends."

He forced himself into the house. Walking inside, he shut the door to find Anzu close by in the dark, arms folded and defensive. He knew he wasn't going to be able to leave until she spilled everything off her chest, and leaning against the door, Kaiba prepared himself. This was a chance to set things straight before she got him first.

"I don't. Friends are distractions."

"Then what am I? A distraction? Some toy for you to play with for now until you've grown bored of me? I'm not some doll, and I won't be thrown around like I don't have feelings."

"I never insinuated anything with you."

"Am I your friend or not?"

"… You're not. If you thought you were anything more, you are sadly mistaken."

Her expression went from one of disappointment to anger.

"Then what, pray tell, am I to you?"

"You're nothing. A pretty distraction, and if you can't handle that, then I won't waste your time with my presence anymore."

She took a step closer.

"Good. I don't want to see your face here again."

"You won't. You're piss poor company, and it's no wonder why your friends have abandoned you here."

She moved closer again. Kaiba could feel her stare, their faces so close he could see the color in her eyes despite being in the dark. But when she tried moving past his body to unlock the door and kick him out, he didn't move. His body weight kept the door shut, and grabbing her hands, Anzu couldn't do much of anything besides try and break away.

"You can't force me out of here until I damn well feel like leaving."

She wouldn't have a chance breaking loose, his grip was too strong. Struggling did no good, especially when she found herself pinned against the door after failing to kick him in the shins. He was angry, and now awake from the sudden attack after threatening to stay against Anzu's will, Kaiba didn't feel like letting up anytime soon. Not until he won against her.

Anzu wasn't an easy opponent though.

"Yes I can. I'll scream," she threatened.

"You wouldn't dare-"

She closed her eyes and took a large breath. He only had a few seconds to decide what to do next before her voice carried through the entire neighborhood. Anzu wouldn't beat him so easily though, and despite calling check mate on him, he knew how to stop her. No one ever beat him at games.

Before Anzu could let her voice escape past her lips, Kaiba kissed her, hard.


	7. Chapter 7: Thai

Her mouth tasted like spice. There was no other way to describe it, and before Kaiba could stop himself, he muted Anzu's imminent scream with the force of his lips. He could feel her tongue, the soft muscle burned against his like he was sucking on a chili pepper skin. Only instead being taken aback by the sensations of pain, Kaiba wanted it. The heat of her mouth mixing with the vanilla scent that always seemed to linger on her skin, it was intoxicating.

Anzu melted against his grip. Both of her hands were still pinned to the door, next to her head. Kaiba finally let go, snaking one of his hands behind her head to undo the hair tie that she still wore. It was so much longer than it used to be and he desired to touch it. Kaiba had never been this intimate with anyone, having never lost control. Dropping the bands to the ground, all his past inhibitions were gone and his hands fully indulged in Anzu's hair.

She wasn't resisting him. To his satisfaction, her arms went around his neck, clinging there to get a closer grip as he pressed her body farther into the door. It was so small in comparison to his, the way it formed against him. He could feel all of her, and not wanting the sensation to leave him, Kaiba grabbed her waist suddenly, rising her up to eye level.

Her body was light. She had more strength in her than he ever gave Anzu credit for, feeling the constriction of her legs around his waist after lifting her up. She was an anomaly. The way she felt, her hips against his groin and the softness of her lips and the way she seemed passive to his will…

Yet, in the back of his mind, he knew she was still planning to leave him. It made him angry, unreasonably so, and before he knew what he was doing, Kaiba put his mouth on her throat. The skin was smooth, the tiny fine hairs not bothering him in the least. If she was going to leave him, he wouldn't let her go without leaving something behind…

When Anzu cried out in pain, however, it brought him back to reality. She had tears in her eyes. The skin of her neck was inflamed where he'd sucked on her. Soon it would turn all shades of purple and red, and she would have to hide his mark undoubtedly if she planned on going out without getting stares. If she wasn't so mad at him, Kaiba would have grinned at her. His plan had worked, after all.

However, it wasn't a good time for that. Whatever passion had passed between the two was gone. Now he was stuck standing there, his heart still pounding in his chest as the girl in front of him stared him down. If looks could kill…

"Mazaki, I-"

"Put me down."

He did as he was told, and backing away afterwards, Kaiba could see her hiding that little mark he left with her hand. She looked pissed but he wasn't sure who she was madder at. Him, for taking advantage of a situation, or herself, for allowing a relapse of control? Whichever it was, it didn't stop her from opening the front door again, starting at the ground wearily as Kaiba walked past.

"Mazaki just let me explain-"

"Please just leave Kaiba."

She wasn't going to listen to him. Shaking his head, Kaiba left, slamming the door behind him.

The walk from her porch to his car felt like forever. Turning around, he could see the curtains of Anzu's living room up, not allowing him any sort of peak to see if she was still there. What he was going to do next, Kaiba sure as hell didn't know. He felt confused for the first time in his life. Usually whenever something challenging happened to him, he had a plan, but not this time.

Driving home and getting to bed were the only two things on his mind. The Kaiba Mansion was twenty minutes north of the city, in the old money district of town. They were old homes in the hills overlooking the ocean that used to belong to the wealthy Americans who had moved in after WWII. Most of the houses belonged to rich military officers, but some, like the Kaiba Mansion, were kept by civilians.

Gozaburo never liked the ocean. Unlike the rest of the houses, his was built a mile in land, surrounded by woods. The gate opened once Kaiba's car reached it, and driving through the path, it made him think about the old house. Did he really want to stay living in it? It didn't actually feel like his home, something he'd make for himself. Everything inside felt and reflected Gozaburo, and the daily reminders of the old man made him feel sick.

"Hmpf. Maybe one day I'll just sell this dump."

A penthouse in the city suited his needs much better. Mokuba, who was gone often now that he wasn't kidnap bait any longer, wouldn't care either way. Although he lived in the Kaiba Mansion for some years, he wasn't attached to the place at all. They hardly had any good memories there, not even when it came to holidays. Gozaburo wouldn't let him celebrate anything, according to him it was "spoiling", so to the Kaiba brothers, the old house felt like a mausoleum.

The staff immediately greeted Kaiba at the door, his personal driver collecting the car. There was a parking garage on the grounds for it, and leaving it behind for the chauffeur, Kaiba went inside the house. It was such a dark, large, and drafty place, and the rooms were always too dimly lit. There weren't enough windows, but it didn't matter too much. Kaiba didn't stay in the mansion very often anyways, except for sleep.

Tonight wasn't much different. Kaiba wanted to dump his body on top of his bed and hide his face into the sheets. Maybe if he did, her stupid face wouldn't keep showing up repeatedly. All throughout the drive, he thought about what he did and it drove him nuts. If it wasn't so late, Kaiba would have dragged his carcass into the bathroom to take a cold shower, but he didn't have the energy for that. Sleep was what he wanted, but it didn't come easy.

The next few nights didn't improve for Kaiba either. Anzu wouldn't answer his texts, and after a week of being blown off, Kaiba decided to just let it go. He had a dinner to focus on, and if Anzu wanted to ignore him, that was her problem. It just went to prove that no one was on his side. Everyone, at one point or another, was going to disappoint him and it was only a matter of time before his little distraction went sour.

He'd never admit how badly she had wounded him.

Sitting in his office, he wasn't going to think about Anzu Mazaki any longer. Not the way her lips tasted against his and not how it felt to have her slender legs wrapped around his body... No, such distracting thoughts didn't belong in a conference room. He had better things to worry about than females. It was the reason why he avoided them in the first place. Gozaburo was right when he said they weren't worth the air they breathed.

However, Gozaburo had never felt any sort of passion in his life. He died an old man, childless, without anyone to cry for him on his funeral day. It was a pitiful reflection of his entire life, a life that everyone quickly forgot about when the next tragedy appeared in the front page news. No one besides the two little boys from the orphanage in Domino City thought about the great tycoon after his death. He was irrelevant.

Seto Kaiba was anything but irrelevant.

"Mr. Kaiba, did you have anything to add to the presentation?"

The sudden addressing of his name broke his thoughts. He was clicking his pen again, sitting slumped in front of a dozen or more people whose names he'd forgotten half way through the meeting. Nearly all of them worked for him, but they probably wouldn't last longer than a year. They almost never lasted longer than a year.

"No, just continue with it already."

"Yes sir."

The meeting went on, and setting his pen down, Kaiba tried to concentrate. Someone had vanilla flavored coffee in the room and it was making him feel ill. He hated that smell, how it made his skin crawl and stomach turn and before the meeting could end, he excused himself from the room. They didn't need his immediate attention every single damn time they wanted to discuss weekly updates on Kaiba Land California. Someone could give him the abridged version later.

Deciding to go out, Kaiba grabbed his black Burberry trench coat and left the building. People stared at him, never having seen their boss actually leave before six-fifteen before. It made them slightly nervous too, because routine was everything at Kaiba Corp. No one ever broke routine. However, for once Kaiba was going to be the first to do it.

He needed to relax. There had to be somewhere to go but where? Walking around Domino City was like navigating through a maze. Although it was his city, the entire area kept changing with new developments. The old Japanese districts were being replaced by new International areas, which were less dependent upon the old world for support. This part of town was also where Domino University was located.

There he found a coffee shop. Coffee wasn't the traditional drink, but college students found it fashionable regardless. Deciding upon tea instead, Kaiba ordered a cup with a scone and sat in the back of the café. Hopefully if he was lucky the soothing ambience of the place would put his thoughts into place.

Anzu needed to leave his mind.

Putting the warm liquid to his lips, he was about to drink when he heard the jingle of the door's bell. Out of habit, Kaiba glanced up at the doorway. He nearly spilt his drink all over himself when he saw the figure that walked in. She was wearing a black ballet dancer's leotard, with a small skirt, white tights, and black leg warmers. There were even real en pointe ballet slippers on her feet.

It was Anzu Mazaki, unaware yet of Kaiba's presence. She looked so different in dancer's clothes. When she turned her back, he could see all the lean muscles of her shoulders and how her dark hair was pulled tight into a military style bun. The bruise was still there too, although not as noticeable if he hadn't been looking for it with his eyes. He wanted to know if it was still there. If she had been hiding it.

Retrieving her drink and turning around, she saw him. Her eyes grew a little and before he could react, she stormed out of the place. Getting up, Kaiba refused to be deterred, and he left the café, glancing down the streets to find her. When he saw her, she was already half a block down, sprinting up the stairs of the Domino University Department of Fine Art's building. Before going in though, she turned around and glanced Kaiba's way.

Now he knew where to find her.

He would just have to wait. Sitting in the lobby of the dance studio, he knew exactly when Anzu would be free from class. She couldn't avoid him forever if he went searching for her. And like it or not, he realized that he'd need her cooperation for his dinner party still. It was expected for him to have a date and coming alone was not an option. If that meant using bribes, he'd do it. Whatever strange thing happened that night Kaiba would put aside for one night, but he wouldn't be chased away from.

Besides, his personal shoppers would be coming to her house the next day. He had to talk to her about that, before they showed up. It would be a disaster if she tried kicking. Kaiba wouldn't be able to live down such a personal insult, so after thinking a great deal over it, he knew what he needed to do.

A talk was in order.

After half an hour or so, a stream of dancers left the corridor all holding their gym bags as they went along their way. Kaiba watched their faces for Anzu but he didn't' see her amongst the crowd. Did she try avoiding him by leaving through the back? He didn't find that likely since she usually was pretty confrontational with people and didn't try hiding away like some scared little kid.

One student turned her face, and glanced at Kaiba. She smiled at him before walking towards the door.

"Wait. Do you know Anzu Mazaki?" asked Kaiba.

"Mazaki?" she answered, looking slightly confused. She stopped for a second in thought, her smile broadening more with realization. Clearly the dancer knew the girl. "Yes, she's still in the studio practicing. You'll find her in room B12."

"Thank you."

Getting off his seat, Kaiba headed towards the hall where the dancers had walked out of. The rooms were clearly marked and it didn't take too long before he reached a B12, music echoing out of the walls. It sounded like Swan Lake but he wasn't quite sure. He hadn't studied music seriously since Gozaburo was around…

Walking into the room, he could see Anzu practicing alone. She didn't hear him come in or he knew she would have stopped. Working en pointe, anzu had a fluidity he had never seen before. The way her feet moved, and how effortless it was for her body to balance itself astonished him, as well as the sharp turns of the head she executed to the sounds of the music. What she was practicing exactly, he didn't know, but it did sound familiar.

He watched, enthralled. The music was coming to a close, Kaiba could tell, but he didn't say anything yet. Anzu knew this too, because she ended her routine taking a knee and looking to the side as her hands crossed in front of her chest just as the music cut off. It all went smoothly and once the sounds of the dance had ended, Kaiba could hear just how tired Anzu was. Her breathing was fast, just loud enough for him to make out.

"What were you practicing?"

She turned around, and immediately frowned when she was his face. Her eyes closed quickly and after shaking her head, Anzu sat down on the ground, taking a stretch.

"The dance of the cygnets. My partners left already, so I wanted to see if I could do it myself alone."

"Partners?"

"Yes, you perform it with four people, hands crossed in front of each other's chests. It's extremely difficult because everything you do is in synch. Even the head turns. One miss step or wrong head tilt, and the entire effect is ruined."

"And this is from Swan Lake?"

"-Yes. How did you know that?"

"I recognized the music."

He felt awkward just standing there while Anzu sat on the ground, one leg out in front of her as she pulled the other in. Her body was in amazing shape and it made Kaiba envious. She laid down into her left leg, grabbing the toes as she stretched, changing to the right after a good ten seconds. Although Kaiba prided himself in being strong, he wasn't nearly so flexible.

"Why did you follow me here, Kaiba? I'm not a big fan of stalking, just so you know."

"Don't flatter yourself. I saw you at the coffee shop and I needed to talk to you. This seemed like the best opportunity for that."

"So you just happened to be in the area today?"

"Yes."

The look she gave him showed that she didn't exactly believe his story, but Anzu went along with it anyways. Maybe she was just too tired to care, because Kaiba could see that look of physical exhaustion on her face. He didn't doubt that Anzu was probably hungry too. Exercise always made him peckish and it had been a while since the two had dinner together.

"Look Mazaki, I wanted to talk to you about last week. Not only that, but the business dinner is coming up and I'm hoping that whatever happened that night isn't going to stop you from helping me with this event. If anything, you don't ever have to see my face after it, I'll leave you alone."

"… It's not like that, Kaiba."

Sighing, she got off the floor and walked over to the right side of the room. There were mirrors and bars all over, and a small collection of things that Kaiba assumed belonged to her. A plastic water bottle, towel, and a black gym bag, it had to be Anzu's. She took the bottle first, drinking a great deal of it before cleaning the sweat off her face. Then after stuffing everything into the bag, Anzu headed towards the exit.

But noticing that Kaiba didn't just follow along like times past, she stopped to turn around.

"Are you coming?" asked Anzu.

"It depends. I was under the impression that you were trying to avoid me," he answered.

"I was, but since you've already caught me, I might as well be social."

"… Are you hungry?"

"Hungry?" The question took her a bit by surprise. However, it was a nice one and it made Anzu smile. "I am."

"I'll buy you dinner."

Having left his car at Kaiba Corp, they had to walk. It was slightly weird, being side by side in public again. The only person Kaiba ever really associated himself with that wasn't on his payroll was Mokuba, but that time in his life was soon fading away. He was becoming older and more independent each day and it wouldn't be very long before the kid would leave for college.

Earlier Kaiba had offered to carry Anzu's gym bag, but she had refused. Instead she carried the thing herself, being somewhat obstinate in a way that he couldn't help but admire. Maybe it came from hanging around a bunch of males all day for years, because he still remembered those high school and he knew those dorks didn't have the best social graces. Kaiba had them beat into his skull as a kid but once he became independent, he just choose when he wanted to be polite to people or not.

This was one of those times when he wanted to.

"What are you hungry for?" he asked while glancing Anzu's way.

"I don't know. Whatever you feel like getting, Kaiba. I'm not that picky."

"… There are restaurants all over the damn place. Why can't you just choose one?"

"Why can't you choose some place? It's your money."

He couldn't help but curl his lip at her, but to keep himself from picking a fight, he did what she asked. There was an interesting looking Thai place he'd heard about from people at Kaiba Corp, so taking a chance, he led Anzu over there. According to his secretary, they did take out and that seemed best since Anzu did stink a little. Although it didn't bother him at all, he knew other people might take offense to a smelly dancer sitting near them.

"We'll get carry out. My office isn't too far from here and we can eat there."

"-Eat at Kaiba Corp?"

"Sure, why not?"

"… I'm not against it; I just didn't think you'd want me at your office."

"It's after working hours so no one's going to be there."

That seemed to ease her mind. Going into the small eatery, it didn't take long to decide on what to get. Pad Thai seemed like the obvious choice and after telling the delivery where to take it, the pair left to the big corporate office that wasn't more than three blocks away. They didn't even need to know where they were going because the huge sky scraper was so infamous. The Domino skyline was forever changed when Gozaburo first conceived it.

Now it belonged to his adopted son.

"Will Mokuba be there?"

For some reason, Kaiba completely forgot that Anzu used to be friends with him. Hell, Mokuba used to be friends with all of those losers and it made him cringe a little when he remembered the time his little brother actually asked for their help. Years had gone by since but the embarrassment hadn't completely gone away. He'd never live it down.

"No. e'He's almost never around much anymore."

"Too busy being an angst ridden teenager now?

"Not angst ridden but he's definitely busy. Usually he's at some friend's house or when he does come home, its well after I've already gone to bed. We don't see each other much unless it's the weekend."

"That's too bad, I guess. I mean, you two were close for a long time."

"We still are close. It's just different now, and I'm sure you understand what I mean since you have a sibling of your own."

"I have two siblings."

"I stand corrected. Two siblings."

Crossing the front lobby, Kaiba headed towards the elevators. Hardly anyone at all was still in the building, besides security. They were still posted at their spots, Kaiba Corp never being without at least a dozen or more guards patrolling around at one time. It was a little paranoid of their CEO to worry about theft that much, but many of the company's important files were kept in the main office. He didn't want anyone getting a hold of them, and with an armed force holding secret security clearances it made him rest easier at night.

Tonight however, he just found their presence annoying. One was posted near his office, standing at the entry way in a self-important manner Kaiba found slightly obnoxious. When the pair came to the office door, he had the nerve to ask his own boss (who was quite recognizable) for ID. Kaiba did so, flashing his badge but before going inside with Anzu, he had to teach the guard a lesson about using authority at inappropriate times.

"It's so convenient of you to be right her so I don't have to call someone else to do this chore for me. I have food coming in twenty minutes and I need you to go pick it up at the front door. Someone needs to be down there outside waiting or I'll lose my order."

"But sir, this is my post-"

"I wasn't asking you for a favor. Do it."

That was the end of that. The guard scrambled to the elevator, and Anzu was snickering at the poor man. Looking down at her next to him, Kaiba rolled his eyes and went inside. He didn't think she'd find that too funny, but maybe she wasn't as up tight as he first assumed her to be.

"So this is your office, huh?" said Anzu, following behind. She was staring at everything, walking towards the back of the room to enjoy the huge view Kaiba had of the Domino skyline. His entire back wall was made of glass and it looked spectacular, how the city lights shined behind the dark violet-blue night. Not being shy, Anzu hoisted herself up on top of Kaiba's desk, admiring it.

He wasn't so infatuated with the scenery, but he did like the fact that the awkwardness had died down. They weren't refusing to look each other in the eyes anymore and Kaiba would deal with her sitting all over his furniture if it meant dealing with a happier, more pleasant Anzu.

"Before we start talking," said Anzu, glancing down at Kaiba, who sat in his chair next to her, "I just want you to know that I still plan on coming to that dinner. I always planned on coming after you invited me. I wasn't going to just blow you off. That's not the type of person I am."

"Does this mean you want to start talking now?"

"Yes, I do. Honestly, I don't even know what happened last week between us. I'm not mad at you, if that's what you're thinking, I just didn't know how to talk to you after something like that. Especially when you were being such an asshole before, saying all that shit to my face and telling me that I didn't matter to you when I know that's a load of bullshit. You wouldn't bring me here, your own private office if I wasn't someone you respected."

"… You're right."

"So why did you say all of that to me? I'm not afraid to tell you that it was hurtful and if you had left instead of pinning me against the door, I would have cried. Kaiba, like it or not, I consider you a friend. Right now, you're one of the only people I have on a daily basis and if you can't handle that…"

"I can handle anything, Mazaki-"

"Then act like it."

She was starting to sound all emotional. Her body was fidgeting on top of his desk and he saw her change the legs she was crossing several times before just settling at the ankles. Her legs were practically bare, and it made him wonder if she was cold. Or maybe, because of how often she danced, Anzu was just used to it.

"Kaiba, you didn't answer my question."

"I'm still thinking of an answer."

It made her frown when he told her that. He felt like he was being guilt tripped, and it drove him crazy. Anzu was so easy to upset and Kaiba wasn't one for expressing himself. If she wasn't so damn retarded, she would have figured out what was happening without him having to tell her. Why couldn't she just have put two and two together?

"You sprung this New York thing on me, Mazaki, like this is just temporary. Some way for you to past the time until you finally get what you've wanted in the first place. You told me yourself that if they pick you up, you're not intending to stay here, so why should I allow myself to get attached to you?"

"People become friends and move apart, its part of life."

"Yeah well, I don't like it and I don't have to go along with it."

"Kaiba, you can't push people away in fear of getting hurt. It's going to happen no matter what you do, and you're just making it worse for yourself. If you would have been honest with me over the whole thing, I'm sure I would have found a way-"

"To let me down easy? Thanks Mazaki, I would have really appreciated that."

"I'm trying to talk to you, but I'm not going to if you're just going to be rude."

The guard had reappeared then, two white Styrofoam containers in hand. After leaving it and two bottles of water, he disappeared again, taking back up his post. It made Kaiba smirk, and lifting the top of his tray, he was pleased to see the Pad Thai he had ordered. Shrimp on top of stir-fried rice noodles with eggs, fish sauce, red chili peppers, bean sprouts, peanuts, lime, scallions and cilantro all waiting for his appetite. Anzu's was very similar, only with chicken instead of shellfish.

There were chop sticks in with the food, and breaking his in half, Kaiba began eating. He didn't want it to go cold while arguing with Anzu, so he decided to talk and eat at the same time. Unlike the dog she and Yugi used to hang around so much, Kaiba knew how to maintain proper table manners while enjoying a meal around polite society.

"Mazaki, I'm not trying to be rude. Fact of the matter is I don't take kindly to being left behind. In fact, I hate it. Hate it more than anything else in the world, and I know you won't understand that but there it is. I didn't know how to deal with the news. There's a reason why I don't keep friends and that's one of them."

"Let me at least try to understand."

"For you to understand it would mean discussing personal things I just don't feel like sharing with you right now."

"All right, fair enough. You don't have to tell me anything you don't want me to know about, I can respect that. But you have to understand where I'm coming from too. This is my chance to get what I've always wanted. I could finally reach my dreams and make my career."

"Is that what you truly want?"

"More than anything else in the world, yes. Ballet for me is like dueling for you. I just can't exist without it. And I can't settle for being mediocre either. But to be the best, I need to learn from the best and the best instructors are in New York."

He couldn't argue against that, she had a point. It made him feel stupid for his earlier reactions of Anzu leaving. She wasn't really abandoning him per say, or at least that wasn't her intention. Besides, she wasn't the sort of person who'd drop off the face of the earth. If she did leave, he had a feeling that she'd still try contacting him. Mazaki was just that sort of person.

"Kaiba, I still have another question for you though… what am I to you?"

She was looking down at him with those big blue eyes of hers. Almost immediately Kaiba felt like he was being studied, and unsure of how to react to that, he looked out the window. The scene outside wasn't nearly so intense looking and it made him forget for a few seconds that Anzu was even sitting next to him. Only the scent of vanilla and perspiration, which smelled sweet to him, reminded Kaiba of just who he was with.

"A friend," he answered with some hesitation.

"Just a friend?" Anzu replied, looking at him with disbelief.

He responded back rather quickly saying, "Why would we be anything more than that?"

"Kaiba, we were being a little bit more than just friendly-"

"It didn't mean anything and it was a mistake, so just do us both a favor and forget it ever happened."

"You left a bruise on my neck," she responded with a frown.

"I know, how juvenile of me. But I think you'll live, Mazaki."

Rolling his eyes, he crossed his leg and finished the Pad Thai sitting on his thigh. He didn't want to divulge in anything about himself any longer since Anzu seemed so interested in asking him questions. Kaiba just wanted to see her back home and retire to bed. A headache was starting its way into him and he didn't want Anzu seeing him even more irritable than he already was.

He heard her sigh as she tossed her empty carton into the trash can. "Kaiba," she started, as if she was carefully thinking her words before saying anything next, "I'm not going to believe that anytime soon. You can think whatever you'd like, but I have an idea of what's going and since you're too cowardly to admit anything, I'll let it go-"

"I am not a coward. I'm anything but a coward," said Kaiba under his breath.

"If you weren't a coward, you wouldn't be lying to me about this."

"How am I lying?"

"You refuse to give me any sort of eye contact. It's a tell sign that you're lying to me. Look me in the eyes Kaiba and tell me in my face that you didn't mean anything by that kiss."

His eyes narrowed instead, focusing on some building in the skyline that he didn't recognize. New buildings were always showing up in the Domino skyline and it made his view the best. Nothing about it ever stayed the same or became dull, and it was one of the perks to being CEO in such a large company. Kaiba had the best view of the house.

However, he refused to look anywhere near Anzu's general direction. She looked at him frowning slightly, but instead of accusing him of more things, she sighed. Her legs were still crossed and her hands were flat against the wood of the desk. Shaking her head, Anzu looked back down, silently admiring Kaiba for a moment before talking again.

"You could have anyone in this city."

"I know that."

"But it doesn't matter to you much, does it? I guess that's a good thing. I wouldn't like you if you were a playboy."

"I don't have time for that sort of immature behavior. No one understands just how much weight I carry for this corporation. They wouldn't last a week without me. I'll never have a life because of this place, but I'll never give this up willingly."

Anzu looked at him with a puzzled expression on her face. "Why would you ever need to give up Kaiba Corp?"

"Technically speaking, I don't own this place. The boards of directors have placed it in my care and guidance as acting CEO, but this isn't my property. I am the biggest shareholder and I control more than any of those old money goons will ever know, but… This place will never truly be mine. I didn't even create it."

He didn't know why he told her that. It was common knowledge amongst people who understood business and how corporations worked, but many people assumed that he owned Kaiba Corporation because his last name was attached to it. Unfortunately that wasn't the case. The Kaiba Corporation owned Seto Kaiba.

"They would be fools to ever take this from you. Even I know that and I know nothing about business."

Maybe Anzu thought that would calm him but it didn't. She didn't know what he had to deal with on a daily basis, but soon she would. The dinner would teach her everything about his world and if she could ever fit within it. He was curious about that.

"You'll learn after this dinner… Ugh, it's late. Let me drive you home."

Kaiba could tell by the look on her face that she wasn't quite ready. She seemed to love the view. Her eyes kept darting back and forth from the glass to him before she finally jumped off from the desk. Turning around, he knew she was waiting for him. Instead of getting up off his chair, he'd been staring at her.

"Are you coming?" she asked.

"Yes, I'm coming."

He was taking one last look at the view.


	8. Chapter 8: Spanish

There was something about birthdays that Kaiba found very tiresome. He didn't understand the cause of celebration, when celebrations were something to be earned. A person didn't have to work very hard to stay alive anymore. It wasn't like times past when people died before seeing their grand children born, and actually respected those who had experienced many winters. Instead, people were festering like insects without anything to keep them in check.

It made even less sense to celebrate the birthday of a non-living entity. Kaiba Corporation was becoming older, yet it was still a relatively young company. Turning forty years old was quite a feat, especially after seven years of being a gaming technology producer, but still… Kaiba didn't like the festivities attached to it.

The only good he saw from the entire thing was how it affected his staff. Everyone seemed revived, and that was refreshing. Older staff members carried themselves with a sense of well-deserved pride, while the younger members decorated their work space with Kaiba Corp advertisements and brought festive treats with big "KC" letters on top.

When Kaiba came to work, he was a bit surprised to find a giant white and blue cake waiting for him on his desk. It had an intricate looking Blue Eyes White Dragon on it, the claws latched onto the company's logo. Under the design was the message, "Thank you Chief for its best seven years!" Someone had put a lot of thought into it.

"Chief, huh? That's cute," said Kaiba, rolling his eyes at it.

He placed the cake outside his office at the secretary's desk. Everyone knew that their boss didn't actually eat treats, but this time, he would make an exception. Going into the staff lounge, he found a large knife and returned to cut the thing, taking a small corner slice for himself. This time, he'd indulge.

"Did you like the cake?"

His bubbly secretary Ms. Sasaki had returned, looking cheerier than ever. It was a huge contrast in personalities, between him and the fresh out of college intern, but people liked dealing with her on a regular basis. She had the best customer service skills and was able to manage his daily schedule without much assistance. Without the use of another assistant, Ms. Sasaki made Kaiba's life easier by shifting through calls, emails, and other messages to ensure her boss only made time for people who were completely necessary. And that was a life saver.

"I haven't eaten any yet. But I do like the dragon. Who made it?"

"Some people from the art department. They came by early this morning and left it, but made me swear to secrecy not to tell you which one of them actually baked the thing."

"And here I thought it was store bought…"

"Oh Mr. Kaiba, you're so funny," she laughed, although Kaiba wasn't joking at all. The woman was always taking his comments for humor, but he had gotten used to it after several months of her constant laughter. "I'll have your tea and reports at your desk in five minutes."

"Thank you."

Taking a seat at his chair, he placed his elbows on the desk and sat in thought. The dinner was tonight. They had leased out the Grand View Bay Hotel's ball room for the occasion, along with the cocktail bar and catering services for the event. It was located right downtown in front of the bay, so when all the guests came, they'd be able to look out at the water from the grand ballroom's three hundred and sixty degree wall of glass. According to the planners, it was going to be one hell of a party.

Only problem was, Kaiba hated parties. He hated them with a passion, but as CEO of the company, he had to put his best face forward and please the crowd. Everyone looked to him for guidance and vision, but now he also had to be its spoke's person. It was something that still irked him, trying to play host to a bunch of people he hardly trusted.

Kaiba Corp's board of directors were the bane of Kaiba's existence. A group of retired do nothings, they always thought their ideas carried more weight against the man who brought the company out of the dark ages. They refused to trust Seto Kaiba the way they should have, after growing in strength and popularity when Gozaburo left along with the arms industry. Although it was them that placed the teenage genius in charge, after Kaiba had lost to Yugi, their confidence had never fully returned.

It was a bunch of ludicrous, since the company survived, and even flourished, after Kaiba lost his title as World Champion Duelist. Nothing changed after the introduction of the duel disk, or even during the problems with the virtual reality technology Kaiba had put on the back burner after some failures during its beta testing. Business was still strong and the company wasn't fully dependent upon Duel Monsters exclusively like everyone had feared.

Kaiba was a very smart man. He foresaw the end of the game's popularity and made sure to sponsor and develop other technologies to remain relevant. Capsule monsters and dungeon dice, for example, were projects he took major interest in. His holographic programing systems were always improving yearly too, to the point where his old original patent was obsolete. Companies could try copying what he was doing, but they'd still be ten years behind him.

The man was just that good. Yet, the board still saw a twenty-one year old with an ego the size of his step father's, if not worse. While the employees trusted their boss like some seasoned admiral leading them to battle, the shareholders still saw a young officer with a big mouth.

It made life in the corporate world troublesome.

However, there wasn't anything else Kaiba wanted to do. His intellect made him too intelligent for most kinds of work, and he grew too bored if his brain wasn't challenged hundred percent every single day. Something new and exciting needed to motivate and drive him, and that's what technology did for him. Although Chief Executives were primarily visionaries and directors for their companies, Kaiba always had his own private engineering projects going on.

He wanted to know what made things tick.

Days at Kaiba Corp usually went by fast. There were meetings after meetings with the different department heads, all of whom Kaiba had some part in selecting. Most of them were quite young and full of talent, although not as seasoned as some would have preferred. Kaiba wanted it that way, though, for personal reasons.

"Where did she put my schedule…?"

Kaiba had the worst habit of talking to himself when alone. Shuffling through his chaotic mess of papers, he finally found his phone and opened the new email pertaining to the daily plan. Instead of having forty-five minutes after work for planning on the next day, there were party prerequisites that had to get covered. Namely, the secretary was supposed to pick up their dry cleaning and then the driver would go take Kaiba to collect his date. After that, the dinner.

They needed plenty of time in case things got crazy. He had no idea what Anzu was doing before the party and how she was planning on getting ready, but she knew the time limitations. Over the phone, she promised Kaiba that she wouldn't take too much time before he came over getting ready and she was the queen of dressing up with little to no time. After all, Anzu was a dancer. Back stage in the dressing rooms was much worse than her own bathroom.

Still, he was very anxious. When the time came to go pick her up, he nearly ran over the entire floor trying to reach the elevator before the rest of the staff left. His suit was clean and fresh, an Armani his shoppers had picked out, and his assistant didn't want anyone dropping a birthday cupcake on her new Michael Kors dress. She was just as persistent on reaching that elevator door with her boss, not wanting to get caught in the rush.

"So I heard you're bringing a date, Mr. Kaiba."

"That's correct."

"Is this a real date or just one of those girls guys hire to make themselves look good?"

"Do I look like a guy who needs that sort of thing?"

He was dead serious when he looked down at her, but Ms. Sasaki was laughing. Goofy as ever, she didn't think he actually took offense to what she said. It was her air head personality that made her a breath of fresh air in an office full of stuffy people who took themselves too seriously. Sometimes Kaiba found her irritating and annoying, but the relationship worked in business.

"I didn't think you dated. Well, I'm happy for you if that's the case. You deserve someone, all people do. Is she pretty? Of course she's pretty, you wouldn't date some ugly old thing, men like you never do-"

Her mouth wouldn't stop running. It was like some infomercial going on the TV, and Kaiba was too lazy to tell her to shut up. Not that she actually would either, thinking he was probably teasing her. Getting into the Bentley, he was only half listening to her talk, since it was the only thing keeping him distracted from what he'd have to do later that night.

"-What does she do, by the way?"

"Anzu's a ballerina. She studies dance at the University."

"A dancer, how classy. Now I know she's pretty, all dancers are pretty."

"She's very pretty…"

"Well I can't wait to meet her. I've never met a ballerina before, and maybe she can show me a thing or two on the dance floor. Could never do a proper waltz before, it's like I have two left feet or something. Even your brother said so about it once, I think he-"

Now Ms. Sasaki was rambling. Cutting his brain off temporarily from her yammering, Kaiba leaned against the window and zoned off. The ride to Anzu's apartment wouldn't take that long; she wasn't too far away from the city if they didn't leave right during rush hour. He wanted to see her, after missing the opportunity to do so all of the week before. Preparations had him working overtime, and although he sent his driver to Burger World to pick Anzu up from work, he could never make it himself.

Now he'd finally see her. Most of all, he missed her company and how she always seemed to keep him engaged. Talking to her was never a chore and some of the things she said humored him more than it should have. When they fought, it was a challenge for him to keep up. She didn't go down easily, or sometimes at all, and it was refreshing when surrounded by yes men all day long.

He had admitted to himself sometime now that she was his friend. His only friend too, since she was the only person he choose to spend time with. Mokuba and he were close, but his brother was more like a son, and it was becoming harder to stay equals with him while trying to keep the teen out of trouble. Right now Kaiba had to remain the parental authority, until his brother grew into himself more and could be treated like an adult.

The people on his pay roll could never be his equals either. Isono was a good personal assistant and body guard, but Kaiba hardly considered him a friend, let alone good company. Their relationship was strictly business; just like how he kept his relationships at work one between employer and employee. Sometimes Ms. Sasaki challenged those boundaries with her eccentric personality, but even she knew she was nothing more than his secretary.

Anzu was different. Completely independent of him and with goals of her own, she allowed him to live in her world. For that reason, he couldn't chance walking all over her like other people and actually had to watch what he said around her at times. The girl had a mouth and wasn't afraid to use it. It was her best weapon against him.

Pulling up to her apartment, Kaiba didn't wait for the driver to open the door. Turning to Ms. Sasaki, he motioned for her to stay put before getting out. It was becoming dark outside, and the porch lights were already on. Walking up to the front door, he pressed the doorbell and waited, crossing his arms impatiently as his eyes stared at the entrance.

It didn't take long for Anzu to emerge. She opened the door for him, slipping back into the house as soon as Kaiba got hold of the handle. Her sense of urgency caught him a bit off guard, especially in how fast she could walk in high heeled shoes. He only caught a blur of her in what looked like a black dress, before she disappeared down some hall to her bedroom.

"Mazaki?"

"I'm still working on my hair!"

Women.

Following behind her wake, Kaiba went inside her bedroom. He hadn't been in there since she fell asleep on the couch that one night, although nothing had changed. Her fish was still there, looking as vibrant as ever. It immediately went to the top of the water looking for food. Glancing at Anzu in the bathroom, he knew she was too busy to care for it. Opening the canister of food, he gave it a pinch full.

"Tell me if this looks even to you."

Being called away, Kaiba immediately went into the bathroom, where Anzu stood with her back facing him. She had her hands in her hair, mouth full of bobby pins. It looked like a simple bun, only her bangs had been straightened and the design wasn't like the one she wore during ballet practice. This new one had more shape to it, but looked like something Anzu had done before.

"It's even, you're fine."

"Good. I didn't want loop sided hair in front of all those people. That would have been disastrous."

Finishing with that, Anzu then returned to the mirror that hung over her sink. She had a collection of make-up there, things like mascara, eye liner, foundation, and other things Kaiba knew very little about. He watched as she added little things onto her face, bring out the blue in her eyes, lengthening her eye lashes, and darkening her lips a little before placing everything away.

"This is the lightest I've ever worn make-up, if you can imagine that."

"Why would you of all people need make-up?"

"Ballet performances. Without it, you won't be able to make out people's faces from far away. We usually wear a lot for that reason, and because playing dress up is fun. You should try it, Kaiba. Find that inner feminine you."

"No thanks, Mazaki. I'd rather not look like a drag queen."

"Suit yourself then."

She smiled at him, before clearing everything away. Then, checking on her fish and turning off all the lights, Anzu headed towards the front door. Before she left she grabbed her coat, her keys, and took the purse she left for herself on the coffee table. It was a Chanel, like the short black dress she wore, picked out by the shoppers for her.

"See, I didn't take that long."

"I never said you were."

"But you were thinking it, Kaiba. I saw your expression in the bathroom…"

Scoffing, he closed the door behind her. Always the gentleman too (when he felt like it), Kaiba opened the door to their car, Anzu getting inside first. She was immediately greeted by an overly enthusiastic Ms. Sasaki inside, who started asking her all sort of questions before her boss even got a chance to get in too.

"I am Chiro Sasaki, Mr. Kaiba's secretary. It's so nice to meet you, he wasn't lying about you being so pretty-"

"I didn't say it like that-"Kaiba tried to cut in.

"-and you're a ballerina? That must be quite an interesting thing to study. More interesting than business, at least. I hated college and I'm glad to be done with it."

She immediately sucked Anzu into conversation, leaving Kaiba behind to sulk in his seat. They started talking about the latest dress fashion trends (at least Ms. Sasaki did) and then there was no point of return. He glanced a few times in Anzu's direction to see if she was actually following the one sided conversation, but she seemed too polite to stop her "new friend".

"-I'm getting a headache," Kaiba finally cut in, "and the party hasn't even started yet."

Almost immediately, all the gibber jabbering stopped. Sasaki apologized and moved back into her seat, staring at her window while smiling. Anzu, on the other hand, was fidgeting around. Although they were in a large car, she had the middle seat. Shifting her weight slightly, she made it more comfortable by leaning partly against Kaiba's shoulder, not shying away from touching him.

"I like this car, but the Ferrari is nicer," said Anzu, smirking to herself.

The Ferrari only had room for two people.

Her comment made Kaiba grin, as he continued to stare out the window. It was hard to prepare in his head just how the night was going to fare; with everything he'd have to do. Mainly a lot of talking about nothing to people he really didn't care for, but that's how his job worked sometimes. There would be many major shareholders at the party looking to kiss up to him, and he'd have to stay friendly. Having a good looking date helped, because it gave him an excuse to wander off a few times throughout the night without looking anti-social.

Anzu had no idea what she was getting herself into. She probably had never been to such a formal event, although ballet had their own functions right before large performances. Tonight she'd be one of the main focuses, and people would bother her over silly things just because of who her date was. Her friendly nature was a double edged sword too, and Kaiba planned to keep her close, so they wouldn't suck her dry with invasive conversation throughout the night.

They were nearly there. Grand Bay View Hotel was one of those old establishments on the west side of the pier that had an amazing view of the water. It was an older hotel, but the owners were meticulous with keeping the building new and renovated. When the Bentley stopped in front of its double doors, Kaiba could see the "40th Annual Kaiba Corporation Birthday Dinner" banner hanging over the balcony.

What surprised him, though, was the mass of spectators around to watch. Domino had made their favorite corporate tycoon a celebrity, and people were running into themselves to watch the guests as they arrived. Usually KC had a few well known entertainers invited to keep the guest list interesting, but people mainly came to see Kaiba. Usually he was pretty elusive and hard to spot in town, but tonight, there would be no hiding from the cameras.

This time, he allowed the driver to open the door. First came out his secretary, then Anzu, before Kaiba immerged himself. His eyes were immediately assaulted with the flashes of cameras, and thankfully he was used to it enough to brush off the attention, following alongside Anzu before being greeted at the hotel's entrance. His secretary followed behind.

Whoever did the arrangements at the hotel was very talented. Everything was brand new and modern, with the Kaiba Corporation banner hanging over the ceiling of the lobby. As soon as Kaiba stepped into the room, hordes of people crowded him to congratulate their CEO on another year of success. Kaiba himself didn't know half the fakes who approached him, but he didn't let his face show it. Smiling brilliantly under the guise of appreciation, he acted his part for the cameras, never once faltering.

Once that part of the dog and pony show was over, he walked off towards the ball room, where the dining tables were set for dinner. The meal wasn't ready yet, but many guests were ready sitting down in anticipation. There were no seating arrangements either, so people had to be quick about getting their spot before someone else took it. Most of the people, however, were still enjoying cocktail hour in the lobby.

"I hate these parties…"

They weren't even an hour in and Kaiba was sulking in his seat. His arms were folded and glancing around the room, he watched as people walked by not yet noticing him. Hopefully it would stay like that for some time. Attention wasn't something he disliked, but ass kissing was another. If it had been a tournament where he was being declared the winner, there was no doubt in his mind that he'd be enjoying his time much more than purposely avoiding the shareholders who were still showing up.

"Why do you hate them? I thought this was your idea in the first place, Kaiba?"

"It wasn't. This is just a tradition I must go along with. Believe me, if it wasn't required of me to show my face at these functions, I'd never go. Nothing would sound better right now than sitting in my study playing a game of solitaire."

"I could name half a dozen different things that would be more enjoyable than playing a card game alone. Kaiba, isn't there something that would make you feel less miserable about this?"

"Alcohol."

Sighing, Anzu rolled her eyes and gave him a look. "Then go get some. And get me a drink as well."

Getting up, Kaiba turned his head to look at the bar. It was an open one, and he could have a pretty decent time if he made use of it. Nothing seemed more appealing than getting just a little buzzed before his big speech. No one would notice and he wouldn't drink so much that his words would start slurring or anything noticeable like that. Just the thought of it made the corners of his lips start to rise.

"What kind of drink do you want, Mazaki?"

"Surprise me."

Vodka was Kaiba's pick, and by the end of the night, it showed. Anzu was giggly and loose once again, smiling at everyone who came over to talk to her. No one seemed to get on her nerves, and Kaiba couldn't help but stare as she stole the attention off from him. Standing next to her was the safest option, while she greeted everyone who came over in the most enthusiastic yet sincere way that could only be brought upon by copious amounts of alcohol.

People liked her. They flocked to her, and after several hours, everyone was drunk right alongside her. It was always this way, but even more so than years before. The board of directors were even drinking, discussing theatre with their new friend as Kaiba sat by and watched. He barely got a word in during dinner, but that didn't bother him in the least. He hated small talk and for once, wasn't asked to join in. Sitting there with a smirk on his face, he watched the show unfold around him.

When midnight finally arrived, the party began to die down. People were heading home, or to their hotel room, which Kaiba had booked for himself. He didn't plan on taking a long car ride home in the middle of the night and try to stay awake before reaching the mansion. Parties wore him out, and he'd be dammed if the chauffer had to wake him up.

Having his own hotel room made much more sense. Only problem was, Anzu was too drunk once again to be dropped off and left at home. She'd have to stay with him again. Leading her to an elevator, Kaiba could smell the vodka on her breath. There was fruit mixed in too, and although he had plenty of drinks himself, he wasn't nearly as intoxicated.

"Kaiba, I had fun. I hope you had fun, since it was your own party… I feel like I talked too much…"

"You were fine, Mazaki."

"No, I talked too much! People were probably getting annoyed by me. I get nervous and can't stop running my mouth, and before I know it, everyone gets upset and-"

"Everyone loved you."

"Really?" Her eyes got bright. "Even the board of directors?"

"Especially the board of directors. You saved me from having to talk to them."

"… Kaiba, where are we going?"

Sighing, he looked at the girl next to him. She was looking back at him, confusion written across her face. It wasn't until Anzu saw a window and realized just how high they were, did she figure out that they weren't heading back to the limo.

"You're too drunk to sleep alone. I shouldn't have let you have so much, but people kept offering you shit and you wouldn't refuse them-"

"You said those people were all assholes, but they were actually nice!"

"Nice to you, maybe."

"Maybe if you smiled more, they'd like you too, Kaiba."

Scoffing, he grabbed the room key out of his suit pocket and came to his room's door. It was the Presidential suite, with full view of the ocean made possible by walls entirely made out of glass. It had a view of the entire Domino Bay coast line, something Kaiba wished to see more of. For some reason, the view of the water helped put him at ease.

Anzu immediately wandered off everywhere once the room door was opened. She probably had never been to such a luxurious hotel before, and Kaiba just stood near the door way while she investigated all of the rooms. It was amusing to watch, especially since Anzu was drunk and failing miserably at walking in high heels now that her balance was compromised. Although it didn't stop her from going all over the place, she did end up collapsing onto the bed in the master bedroom suite.

"Anzu, what are you doing?"

"I'm going to bed…"

She crawled on top of the comforter and without taking off her shoes, grabbed a pillow to lay her head on top of. Her eyes were closed and she drew her legs up close to her chest. Taking a seat next to her, Kaiba just rolled his eyes and began taking off his shoes. Why she wanted to fall asleep wearing a tight dress, he didn't know.

"Anzu, aren't you going to take that off?"

"No."

"Why not? You won't be comfortable wearing that while you sleep, and you'll ruin it too. It was expensive, and unless you'd like to pay me back-"

"I'm asleep, Kaiba."

His eyes narrowed at her. She was most certainly not asleep, although she never opened her eyes. Whatever she was trying to pull, he wasn't too sure. He didn't doubt that she was tired, after running around the entire ballroom like a maniac and dancing with however asked her. Anzu's way with people never ceased to amaze him.

"You're not asleep." Sighing, he got off the bed. "If you think I'm going to try something, I'm not. I'll go sleep on the couch if that'll make you happy."

"Sleep on the couch?"

Turning around, she grabbed at Kaiba's hand, pulling him back down to the bed. Then she sighed and worked on undoing the bun against her head. Once all the bobby pins were taken out and Anzu had set them on the bed side table, she held her hair back against her shoulder, exposing the back zipper of her dress.

"Will you? I can't get it down myself."

"Certainly."

Her eyes never left him as he pulled down the zipper, trying to avoid snagging on the expensive material. Once it was all the way down, Anzu turned to the other side of the bed and let it slid down her body, the dress falling into a small heap on the floor. Now only down to her bra and underwear although not shy in the slightest, she turned back around and smiled up at her companion.

"I really liked dinner tonight."

"The Spanish cuisine? I wasn't sure if it would go along with everyone's tastes. Iberian pork is a delicacy, but I think most people were expecting something Japanese, not European."

"Well, I liked it. Kaiba, have you been to Europe before?"

"Yes. Just once."

"Did you like it there?"

"I've only been to France. It was very beautiful, but not somewhere I'd want to live."

"Ballet started in France."

Her voice sounded so tired. Feeling sleepy himself, Kaiba began taking off his suit and preparing for bed. He just wanted to get under the sheets and close his eyes. Hopefully Anzu wouldn't get sick in the middle of the night, because she still stank of booze and didn't seem to handle it all that well. He knew as soon as he went to sleep, she'd pass out fast. It some ways, it reminded him of Mokuba when he refused to go to bed.

She was staring at him too. Once Kaiba got down to his shirt and boxer briefs, her eyes wouldn't leave him. He didn't know what was so interesting about him, since it wasn't like he was standing naked in front of her, but apparently something about him was catching her attention. Maybe it was the necklace he was still wearing. Kaiba almost never took it off.

"What are you staring at, Mazaki?"

"You look so normal when you're not in those stuffy designer clothes of yours. And, you aren't such bad company when you're not trying to show off."

"I guess I'm losing my touch then."

He rolled his eyes and got under the sheets, moving to the edge of the bed before closing his eyes. If he was going to have to share the bed with her, he didn't want Anzu thinking he was trying anything. No one was going to accuse him of taking advantage of her, and he'd keep his distance. Kaiba usually slept like a log anyways. The position he got in was the one he stayed in all night.

"Kaiba, I think you use sarcasm to hide your fear."

"Fear from what?"

"People. You don't want to rely on people, but no one's meant to be alone."

"You're just drunk rambling, Mazaki. Go to bed."

"I'm being serious. And I'm not that drunk…"

"You wouldn't be talking about this so adamantly if you hadn't had so much vodka at the party."

"… Perhaps. But what I'm saying is true. And I'm tired, my stomach hurts, and I don't like it when you shut me out. Sometimes I wish I could do it back to you as easily as you do it to me. Then maybe things would be fairer."

"What are you talking about, Mazaki?"

Turning around, he tried finding her face in the dark, but she had turned her back towards him. He didn't think she'd turn into some emotional drunk, but then again, he'd only seen her drink one other time. And that was before they started getting… complicated with one another. That was the only word he knew for it.

"Mazaki? Stop acting like a kid and face me."

"Don't call me that, it's Anzu."

She didn't budge from her place. In fact, she had moved herself to the far end of the bed, hiding her face behind her dark hair. He could barely make her out in the darkness, but the dark lump of her body was enough to go by. Anzu was still close, just not as close as she could have been.

"Anzu… why are you getting angry at me?"

"Because. I'm going to bed now."

"Tell me."

She didn't say anything more. When she refused to talk, Kaiba scowled and reached over to shake her shoulder. He didn't want to touch her, but Anzu's words bothered him and he knew he wouldn't get any sleep unless he knew what she was thinking. Kaiba hated being ignorant of things. Even things like what some girl was thinking about him. Until she told him, he'd get no rest.

"Don't touch me."

"Why are you mad at me?"

He didn't take his hand off from her. Instead, he gently pulled her shoulder over until Anzu was lying on her back, her eyebrows furrowed in frustration. She seemed too drunk to fight him off, but enough to be upset with him. Still, she wouldn't say anything to him. Shaking his grip off of her, the girl only folded her arms and stared up at him.

"Anzu, I'm not going to bed until you tell me what's bothering you."

"You're bothering me. This attitude of yours is bothering me. Sometimes you're so good to me, but other times you keep me at a distance for no reason and it hurts. I hate it how I like you, despite how difficult you are. It's not fair. Do you even like me?"

"… I don't know."

"That's a lie. You either do or you don't. And I know you know the answer. Why can't you just be honest with people for once in your life? Would it kill you to do that?"

"Kill me? No. But why do I need to say it? Why can't you just figure out things for yourself? I thought you were smart. Apparently that isn't the case."

His words came out harsher than he had meant them too. Immediately regretting it, Kaiba shook his head and moved close to Anzu's side, looking down at her eyes. They were shinning in the dark and her head hilted to his side to look at him. Her arms were still folded across her chest, but he could tell by the pain in her face that she was emotionally falling apart.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that."

"… Why can't you just tell me what you're feeling?"

"It's complicated."

"No it isn't. You make simple things complicated, when it doesn't have to be. And you lash out at people, when they're just trying to help you. I'm not trying to hurt you, Kaiba. I'm not your enemy."

Sighing pitifully, she rolled towards Kaiba's side and reached out to touch his face. At first, he only wanted to move away from her, but he knew that wouldn't be the right thing to do. Instead, he just submitted to her desire and allowed Anzu to have him, as her fingers trailed down his face until they stopped at his bottom lip. Her eyes were staring at them, as he stared back down at her. It was like she was still making up her mind at what to do. Or trying to decide what she wanted.

"You're not like the Kaiba I met in high school. The one who hated everyone and did everything he could to keep everyone else away. He was never happy. Stop trying to be like him again."

"I'm not trying, Anzu."

"Then tell me why you'll introduce me to all your business associates, buy me things I could never afford on my own, give me rides home so I don't take the bus home alone, have dinner with me several times a week, share a bed with me I didn't help pay for, but you can't tell me how you feel about me? Why you can't admit to something that's so obviously clear?"

"Ugh. This isn't going to work out, Anzu."

"You won't even try."

"You're going to New York soon. I'm still going to be here. Since there's a chance that I might never see you again, I'm not going to risk it. It's not worth it to me."

"I'm not worth it?"

"That's not what I'm saying, Anzu."

"Yes it is. I'm not worth fighting for. I hear you perfectly clear."

Letting go of Kaiba's face, Anzu used her hand to wipe her cheek. If Kaiba had been able to see in the dark, he would have known that the girl was crying. He didn't figure it out until she sniffled, blinking her eyes several times before trying to wipe them both of the tears that were falling down from her cheeks. The alcohol had made her more emotional than he'd first though. It puzzled him, because he wasn't quite sure on what to do.

But then something inside began to gnaw at him. He didn't know quite what it was, but it felt like instinct, and Kaiba couldn't ignore something like that. When Mokuba cried, he never stood there watching. Kaiba always tried comforting him, in some way. It was his job to. And although Anzu wasn't Mokuba, the same sort of feelings were digging at him. That same sense of responsibility.

He reached out and placed his hand against her cheek. It was wet with tears, and although she tried moving away from his touch, Kaiba wouldn't let her. Instead he just got closer, until he was laying right over her with his elbow bracing against the mattress of the bed. They were nose to nose, and Anzu couldn't even try avoiding eye contact if she wanted to. Being so close, Kaiba could even feel her chest begin to rise faster, her body against his own.

"Kaiba, what are you doing?"

"Anzu, you ask too many questions."

Then, before Kaiba could think about what he was doing, he kissed her. This time it wasn't so panicky or forceful, but soft and tender as he caught Anzu's bottom lip with his own. Eyes closed and still touching her face, he stopped until the gesture was repeated back, unsure if he was doing the right thing. Thankfully Anzu lifted her head up and caught his mouth with her own when he moved away, desperate for him to come back until he was right against her again. Opening her mouth for him, she didn't fight against Kaiba when his tongue greeted hers, nor when he began kissing down the side of her neck with his open mouth. Going down her collar bone and stopping at the curve of her left breast, Kaiba raised his eyes to look at her.

"Kaiba," started Anzu, sighing as she touched the man's hair with one hand, "you make things so difficult. I can't think right now."

"Relax Anzu; I'm not trying to do anything to you. Just go to sleep."

Frowning, she dropped her hand and turned to the other side. He was glad she did, because being so close was bothering him. Her smell was too potent and the way her skin felt against him… it was better if he stopped things sooner than later. Especially since she was drunk and he had a few drinks himself. Going to bed was the best idea.

And after closing his eyes, Kaiba did just that.


	9. Chapter 9: Greek

It was early morning when Kaiba woke up, despite the desire to sleep in. His head was aching, and getting out of bed, he stumbled into the bathroom to get a glass of water. Everything felt like complete and utter crap, from his eyes down to his feet. Turning on the faucet, he waited for the cold water to come rushing before putting a cup under it, lazily turning it off once it was filled.

"I didn't think I drank that much…"

He swallowed it all; bring moisture back into his system. Taking three more glasses, he placed the glass on the counter and walked back to the bed. Still asleep on the other side of the bed was Anzu, curled up against her pillow. It didn't surprise him that she hadn't woken up, since the sky was still dark and the curtains hadn't been pulled in. They were too distracted the night before to notice, and predicting rude awakening, Kaiba got up to handle it.

The ocean looked amazing in the early hours of the morning. Ships were still out, with their lights flashing in the darkness. Fishermen were out on the waters in the early mornings, trying to get their catch before the crowds in the different markets would come for their best specimens. It was a ritual unlike the one Kaiba did daily, one of the business men returning to their perspective offices every morning before the tourists crowded the streets with cab drivers.

Glancing over to the digital clock, Kaiba couldn't believe that it was only five in the morning. His body clock told him it was time to prepare for work, but not this time. Kaiba Corp had always taken a day off after the corporate birthday party, it was tradition. Everyone would be too busy nursing their hangovers to actually show up in their offices the next day.

Including their CEO, who dumped his body back under the sheets once the windows were covered. He moved back to his original spot next to Anzu, who was still fast asleep. Her hair was all over the place, and it smelled like baby shampoo. It was a calming scent, and watching her from over the girl's shoulders, Kaiba could make out her face in the darkness.

She was so different from him. Whenever he slept, he liked placing a pillow over his head. He didn't want people seeing him in such a compromised position, but Anzu didn't seem to care. Her face was open to the world and he wondered how hard it would be to shake her awake. Would she get mad? Probably. But he didn't care at the moment. He wanted to talk to her, like he should have hours ago.

"Mazaki."

There was no response except for a moan. She didn't even stir too much. Frowning, Kaiba moved closer, shaking her arm harder until the girl's eyes fluttered open. At first she looked very confused, but turning her head slightly, she realized what was going on. Maybe she thought for a second she was at home. That wouldn't have surprised him.

"Kaiba? It's the middle of the night, I'm tired…"

"Actually Mazaki, its five o seven, and the human body only needs three hours of sleep to function. You've had two hours more than necessary."

"Kaiba, shut up."

She grumbled and dug her head deeper into her pillow, closing her eyes again. He knew she was just trying to blow him off, and Kaiba was not having it. The man hated being ignored; he refused to be ignored…

"Mazaki-"

"It's Anzu, stop calling me by my last name like we're strangers…"

"Anzu… just let me talk to you for a few minutes. I'll let you sleep when I'm done, promise."

One eye opened, and turning back to face him, Anzu yawned before setting her head back on her pillow. Her eyes were half lid and her hair was standing all over the place. She still smelled of vodka on her breath, and studying her for a few moments, he wasn't quite sure of what to say. Kaiba had never shared the bed with a woman before, nor had the chance at having one half naked with him.

It only now occurred to him what happened the night before.

"You drank a lot last night. It wasn't my intention on getting you drunk, and I can feel my own hangover nagging me now that I'm awake. I would have taken you home if you weren't so intoxicated, but I didn't want to leave you alone since you could barely make it through the room without tripping over the bed-"

"I'm not helpless, Kaiba. I can handle myself without your help-"

"That's not what I'm saying. And I'd rather be safe than sorry, Anzu. I don't want you getting sick and choking on your own vomit."

"You worry too much."

"You can never worry too much…"

"What are you going to do when I go to New York then? Kaiba, I've been on my own for a good two years now. I am fully capable of taking care of myself. If I need someone's help, even your help, I'll ask for it. But I don't need you worrying over me like you do Mokuba-"

"I worry because I care-"

It just came out before he could take it back. Groaning in frustration, Kaiba turned his back to Anzu and stuck a pillow over his head. His embarrassment was eating at him, and it didn't stop even when his companion moved over to pull it off, a bemused smile across her face. He could feel heat growing on his cheeks… There was no way he'd let her see him now.

"It's perfectly normal to care, you know. If you didn't, I'd be a little concerned."

She was laughing, just quietly enough that Kaiba could barely make her out. Once the blush felt like it had passed over, he uncovered his face and glanced her way. Laying there on her side smiling down at him, for a second he thought it was worth spilling his feelings to Anzu. Maybe telling her how he felt wouldn't be so bad, because she wasn't going to use it against him like other people would. Anzu wasn't that type of person.

"Kaiba, may I ask you a question?"

"Hmmm…?"

"Why don't you let people call you by your first name?"

Now this was interesting to him. No one had ever asked him that, or showed any sort of desire to do such a thing. He was so used to being called by that last name, it became normal to him and quite frankly, Kaiba didn't want any strangers using such informalities with him. Since most people he knew were just strangers, or worked for him, it just became habit.

"It's just what I prefer."

"Interesting."

Her grin wouldn't subside and before he knew it, Anzu had moved over right next to him with her back against the head board of the bed. She must not have even cared that her chest was exposed, the black lace bra teasing his peripheral vision. It looked good against her fair skin, and mind wandering, Kaiba forced his gaze to her face before she had a chance to figure out what he was thinking.

"I'll be leaving soon. My airline tickets just arrived in the mail yesterday and the flight's in two weeks from now. It came sooner than I thought it would. Do you think you could take me to the airport, before I go?"

"Depends on the day and time. I have meetings, some of which I can't avoid getting out of, and-"

"Kaiba, please?"

"… What day is it?"

"A Saturday morning flight to New York city, with layover in Seattle. I need to be at security by six thirty am."

"Don't worry about security, Anzu; I can get you through before then."

Her face was unreadable. He didn't know what she was thinking, but he could only imagine when Anzu began putting her fingers through his thick hair. It felt calming and he didn't feel like fighting against affection that felt so incredibly good.

"I had class the day Jonouchi and Yugi left for California. Didn't ever get a real chance to say goodbye, and I regret it. Sometimes I wish I could have just skipped it, so I could have one more moment with them before they left my life. It's hard saying goodbye to your best friends…"

"Then why do you do it? Why do you get attached to people if you know they'll eventually just leave you?"

"Because that's what strong people do."

Perhaps she was right. He had been avoiding people for ages, for a multitude of reasons Kaiba hadn't rationalized yet in his head. Sometimes they just didn't interest him, but every once in a while he'd meet a person who truly deserved his attention. Yugi was one of those people, and for years he tried pushing him away as the threat of becoming friends began looming over him. It wasn't until the longtime rival left did Kaiba finally realized how much he missed the interaction.

Hell, he even missed Jonouchi and his loud obnoxious mouth. Sure, the other duelist was annoying in his over confidence and wouldn't stop challenging him to duels he'd never win, but after a while, Kaiba couldn't help but respect him. He never gave up, no matter how many times he ended up falling on his face. It even got to the point where making fun of him wasn't amusing anymore, because Jonouchi took it in stride.

"Kaiba…" Sighing, Anzu dropped her hand and got back under the sheets. He watched her as she pulled them over her body, laying on her side once more, her dark eyes facing his own. "I'm tired. Try to get some sleep, you deserve it."

Then she turned around and Kaiba was once more left alone to his thoughts.

The two weeks passed faster than he could have ever imagined. They had continued seeing each other as usual, but Kaiba couldn't put the thoughts of Anzu's eventual departure behind him. It nagged at him and wouldn't leave his thoughts as he went along with her through Domino, a constant reminder of what he'd soon not have.

He tried to make the best of it. Before she left, he did what she had asked some days before and took her to the ballet that came to Domino for spring. It was a tour of the Royal Ballet's performance of The Dying Swan, and he found it interesting enough to watch. The technique and skill required of the dancers was something he could respect, along with the live orchestra that was playing. To his own surprise, Kaiba ended up enjoying it more than he ever thought he would.

More days had passed, and now he was in his sports car, Anzu sitting next to him as he stared out at the road. It was something god awful in the morning, and sipping tea to wake himself up, Kaiba couldn't think of anything to say to her. She looked tired, leaning against the door with her eyes looking out towards Domino Pier. He would have thought she'd be excited, or anxious, but instead, Anzu just looked miserable sitting there.

"Kaiba," she stared, glancing towards his way, "sometimes I wonder if this is really what I want. If I'm doing the right thing by leaving everything I know for some foreign place… in hopes for something near impossible. Am I really doing the right thing? What if I fail?"

He didn't say anything at first. A part of him wanted to tell her that it was futile. That she would fail, miserably, and she was better staying in Domino with him because that was the safe thing to do. Anzu had no friends or family in New York, no one to count on, and she would be completely alone in a country that wasn't always kind to strangers. It made him anxious.

But, Anzu Mazaki was also the most capable woman he had ever known. She was fearless and strong, with a drive that he had never seen in anyone outside of his own rival, who had left himself to chase his own dreams. Kaiba couldn't be selfish now and try to make her stay. If he did, he knew she would always resent him for it.

"…Then you fail. But wouldn't it be better to try and fail than not have tried at all? Strong people don't take safe risks. They reach for the impossible, and I never saw you as a weak person who took the easy route to get what she wanted."

"I'm scared… I won't have any friends to rely on."

"You'll make new ones."

He didn't think his words helped much, but Kaiba said what was required of him. When the airport appeared and they came to her terminal, he parked the car and dutifully helped her with the luggage, carrying it over to security. Once they got there, it wasn't too hard to get through with Kaiba's special status, and getting past the long lines and body scanners, finally the two reached Anzu's flight terminal. Domino City, Japan to Seattle, Washington, connecting flight to New York, New York. There was no turning back.

"I guess this is it…"

Anzu was tearing up. It was just like her to get all emotional, while Kaiba just stood there in front of dozens of people keeping his poker face intact. Setting her bags on the ground, he looked down at her unsure of what to say. They didn't have much time. Soon Anzu would be on her way to the United States and wouldn't be back until September. His only friend would be leaving him to live alone once more.

And it was painful. When the tears started falling from her eyes, he couldn't watch any longer. Kaiba was never good at saying goodbye, and crossing his arms and staring at his feet, he waited for the first call for boarding. The sooner she left, the sooner he wouldn't feel that aching because the inevitable would be over.

"Do you need any money?"

"No, I'm fine. My parents sent me some earlier in case I needed anything."

"What about phone cards?'

"I have them."

"You know Mazaki if anything happens…"

"I know. You worry too much. I'm just… It's hard saying goodbye."

The minutes were ticking by. Before they knew it, Anzu's flight had been called and Kaiba bend over to pick her bag. However, before he could lift the thing off the ground, Anzu looped both of her arms around his neck and kissed him. He could taste the salt on her lips and it took him completely by surprise, the man dropping the bags on the ground as soon as he felt them. They were so soft.

When she finally let go, he was a bit stunned. Too stunned to even realize that people were all around them, some giving sad looks as they saw the drama next to them unfold. His eyes just stared at her as she rubbed the tears off her face, Anzu immediately avoiding his gaze as soon as she had let go. After sniffling a little, she finally grabbed her bags and looked up at him.

"Kaiba, you're a good person. I didn't know that at first, but I know that now. Don't change while I'm gone. I want my friend back."

Then she smiled at him one last time before turning and handing her tickets to the airline staff. Once they checked over it, Anzu stopped for a second, as if she was about to turn around… but she didn't. Instead, she just shook her head and continued walking towards the plane that awaited her, ready for what laid ahead.

The first few weeks were the hardest. Mokuba finally returned, but even the younger sibling didn't completely fill that loneliness that was eating Kaiba away. Sure they got to talking more and the younger Kaiba actually made a habit of having dinner with his older brother, but it wasn't the same. Female company like Anzu's wasn't something that could be replaced easily, especially not with an immature teenage brother who spent hours at a time playing video games and talking about movies Kaiba had never heard of.

When things at the office began building up though, time went by fast. Kaiba was too busy with his work once again to think much about Anzu, outside the occasional stray thought before he went to sleep or when his secretary asked about her. Alone in bed was the only time he allowed himself to get lonely, lying in bed staring at the ceiling as the minutes went by. He wondered how she was doing, but Kaiba knew the answer all ready. Anzu was fine. If she had ever needed his help, all she had to do was call him.

Instead, his phone never received a call from her. It wasn't until two months later did he receive any sort of indication that the girl was still alive. A letter came through the mail, and Ms. Sasaki had placed it aside just for Kaiba to look at. The address was marked New York, New York and the clever secretary knew all about her boss's dilemma. Inside was a ticket to Anzu's performance… a performance that took all of Anzu's will power to get, taking the most senior dancer's role despite only being a college sophomore.

As soon as Kaiba found out the date, he booked a ticket to New York and bought two more tickets so he could see all three nights of the show. Ballet was not his thing, but if it meant seeing Anzu again by chance, even on stage, he'd deal with the theatrics. The office could go without him for one week, and he was long overdue for a vacation anyways.

The night of the show, Kaiba waited near the theater at a diner. It was packed full of people who didn't know who he was and he found some comfort in that. His food, however, was slightly intimidating. For some forsaken reason, he had ordered the infamous gyro, loaded with lamb meat, lettuce, tomato, unions, and cucumber sauce. There was also a huge pile of fries, and sneering slightly at the sight of it all, the foreigner didn't know exactly how to tackle it.

Thankfully there were enough people around to watch. Taking the huge sandwich into his hands, Kaiba bit off a chuck and allowed the juicy meat flavors of the slow cooked lamb to win him over. It tasted so amazingly good, unlike anything back at home he had ever tried. They didn't have meat cooking together in a giant mass of flesh, with a mad cook who just sliced off chucks with a knife before pilling it onto a pita for consumption.

"I can't believe I've never had this before… The Americans were right about their food, for once."

Before he could finish, however, the show was about to start. He abandoned the rest of his food for the theater, leaving a sizable tip behind and crossed the street to join the dressed up masses for an old tradition of classical ballet. It took him a while to get to his seat, waiting outside in line a good half an hour before it was his turn to give his ticket to the box office. Once at his seat and in the darkness of the auditorium, he relaxed and waited for the curtains to open.

She was dressed all in white. Her face sparkled from the glitter, a sense of purity radiating from her body as she stood in pointe, face downcast. Anzu was a ballerina, just like in her portrait at home. Nothing about her looked real, not the stiff tutu she wore that seemed to give her legs length that he hadn't noticed before. eThere was elegance in the way she moved across the stage, and Kaiba couldn't take his eyes off of her.

He wanted to see her, badly. As soon as the show was over, Kaiba left his seat and went for the dressing rooms. They wouldn't keep him from there, if he dropped his name. No one was going to keep him from seeing Anzu, not after going across the country and the pacific to see her again. Not when he waited two months for the chance to see her face again…

Before he could get to her though, she was with another man. A man he knew. His rival of some four years, the one person on earth his skills and intelligence just could never manage to best… Someone he considered gone from his life for good.

Yugi.

It made his heart sink. Feeling a sense of rage flow through his blood, he stopped himself at the doorway of the hall before making his presence known. If Anzu wanted to see that man again, that was her business. He couldn't stop himself from seeing who she wanted, but it didn't stop Kaiba from feeling betrayed. Why hadn't she contacted him? But Anzu cared enough to contact Yugi, because apparently he meant more to her…

"Why did I even fucking bother with this?"

It was a good question he already knew the answer to. Shaking his head, he turned around to leave before the pair could spot him. He didn't want any awkward meetings with the two, especially since Yugi probably didn't know about his relationship with Anzu. That wasn't something he felt like explaining to him. Hell, he could barely explain the situation to himself.

But it didn't stop him from seeing her the next two nights after. And although Yugi was no longer in the audience watching or waiting for Anzu's departure, Kaiba couldn't bring himself to see her. Once more in his miserable life, he felt utterly defeated.


	10. Chapter 10: Chinese

_Author's note: Thanks everyone who made it this far. I appreciate the reviews, and please keep them coming!_

The New York studio apartment wasn't anything like Anzu's home in Domino. Much larger with a spacious ceiling, it gave her the luxury of space she had never enjoyed back at home. Everything in Japan was much more compact, and although her home wasn't small according to her standards, it was for Americans. Now she had a large kitchen, with a queen size bed and huge windows overlooking the city. Jonouchi would have been jealous of it…

But he wouldn't ever get to see it. None of her friends were in the states, and Yugi had left some time ago. It was by chance he even got to come see her, since a duel tournament was going on around the same time. He had somehow managed to get in contact with Anzu in the last minute, and she secured him a ticket for the show.

They only had a night together though. After the show Anzu took Yugi out for New York style pizza, something different from the food at home, and after watching some bad horror movies in Yugi's hotel room, she went back home. After all, Yugi was only her friend. One of her closest friends by far, but Anzu had decided a long time ago that her old classmate could never be anything more to her. Anything else just didn't feel right.

The one person she wanted to see refused to call her. She didn't understand why he was ignoring her, but Kaiba was an anomaly. Time zone differences and hectic schedules both ways made calling each other near impossible, so Anzu tried to do the best next thing. When tickets came up for her performance, she made sure he'd have one before anyone else… Yet, she didn't see him in the audience.

"If he was in town, he would have called…"

It didn't make any sense. Why would he profess to care for her, but not even come by when she offered him the chance? Or at least tell her why he didn't come, if he couldn't make it to the show. Anzu would have understood, since going across the ocean for one night at the theater was a bit much to ask for, but… she thought Kaiba would have wanted to see her. That maybe there was something a bit more to him than what she first thought.

Those optimistic feelings were beginning to pass though. Slowly but painfully, Anzu tried puttinghim in the back of her mind to ease the loneliness that plagued her every night. Now that the show was over, her schedule was far more lax and she didn't spend all her evenings rehearsing endlessly until she was ready to pass out. Now she had time to have a life, but instead of going out with all the other dancers, she stayed alone in her room.

Lying on her bed, she was staring at the ceiling waiting for her Chinese delivery to appear when the door buzzer rang. Jumping off the mattress, Anzu darted for the telecom and answered it, hoping for her dinner. It was about time. She couldn't believe how late it was and how she managed to forget dinner now that she was eating alone.

"Mazaki residence, how may I help you-"

"-buzz me in, I need to talk to you."

The voice sounded familiar. It was low and masculine, with a bit of a raspy tone Anzu couldn't exactly put her finger on. Sometimes the telecom made people sound weird, and thinking it was one of her classmates from the studio, she buzzed the man in. If it wasn't who she thought it was, well, it was a good thing her door had a beep hole on it.

"Just one second."

Pressing the enter button, she waited until a knock sounded off her door. The man came up the stairs rather quick, and curious as to see who her visitor was, Anzu got on her tippy toes and looked in. The man who stood there was not the man she was expecting. Frowning slightly, she opened the door to let him in.

"Kaiba, what are you doing here?"

"Being spontaneous and asserting myself."

He walked in, looking around the apartment with mild amusement. After closing the door behind her, Anzu turned around and leaned against it, her arms folded across her chest. She didn't know what she should feel at that moment. Angry, because he had the nerve to show up after two months out of nowhere unannounced at her door stop? Or happy that he flew all the way from Domino to see her again? It was emotionally confusing and she didn't like it.

"Why couldn't you have done that before, Kaiba?"

"I was busy running my company, Mazaki. It's not like I can leave town whenever I want. You should be happy that I came to see you."

"I would have been happy if you would have called me once in a while and told me you were planning on showing up! Would that have been so hard to do?"

"You have phone too, it's not like you couldn't have picked up the phone and called me yourself."

"I shouldn't have to!"

"And why the hell not?"

There was no good reason for it, but Anzu felt that it was his job. He had always been the one to contact her. Kaiba always initiated things with her and he was too damn intimidating at times to call herself. Even over the phone, he had a harshness that didn't dissolve unless they were face to face. Anzu couldn't handle that. Not after weeks of being apart.

"Kaiba, it's not a logical reason, but you were always the one who came to me."

"Afraid of a little rejection then, huh Mazaki?"

His words stung. It was like he meant to be mean and she hated it. What was his damn problem? Last time they were together, they left as something a bit more than friends, and now… he was just someone else. The old Kaiba she knew from years before, and it was a disappointment, to say the least.

"If you just came here to be mean, then just leave. I don't have time for that and I thought we were friends."

"We are friends…"

He walked over to her bed and took a seat there, throwing his jacket on top of the nearby dinning chair. It was obnoxious behavior, how Kaiba thought he could just walk back into Anzu's life like nothing had happened, but she wasn't all right with that. She wouldn't get walked all over because the man wanted to have an emotional tantrum in her apartment.

"Then stop being a jerk and treat me like one. Do you know how bad it was when I didn't see you at my ballet performance? I understand why you couldn't make it, your life is something I could never myself even begin to comprehend, but don't act like I abandoned you when I didn't. It was never my intention to do that, and if you felt that way, I'm sorry. But it's not fair to take it out on me like this."

"You wanted to see me?"

"Of course I did, you idiot! I was only given one ticket to send, so I sent it to you. Kaiba, you make my head hurt…"

"I thought-"

He was caught off by the buzzer, sounding the late arrival of the Chinese takeout. After groaning in irritation, Anzu turned around and opened the door, dealing with the delivery man before reappearing again with two boxes of food. She had General Tao's and brown rice, and after going into the kitchen, she portioned it in half for them both.

"I shouldn't have called you an idiot."

"You're fine."

When she came back, Anzu passed over a plate to Kaiba, taking a seat next to him on her bed. She was staring at her food for some time unsure of what to do, before sighing in frustration. Glancing at the man next to her, she relaxed some once she saw him begin to eat, using the cheap chop sticks she had in the kitchen drawer. All the good ones she owned were still back home in Japan.

"Kaiba… why are you here now in New York?"

He stopped eating for a minute, as if he was thinking of a good answer. She watched his face change expressions before it settled upon something, his hands coming up again to feed himself a chunk of chicken before talking.

"I had a business conference here, so I just took the whole week off and decided to see you. It wasn't really hard to track you down and sitting in my hotel room alone wasn't all that entertaining, so I came by."

"What kind of conference?"

"Virtual technology. The board of directors finally gave me permission to start that project up, so I'm going to try and make my virtual world system working again. Only this time, I'll be sure to have it hack free. I'm not getting trapped in that thing for a second time."

"You mean that pod like thing where you play duel monsters in a different reality?"

"Exactly that."

"Why didn't the directors let you go forth with it before?"

"They thought it was a dangerous idea. But they forget I like dangerous ideas. All risks worth taking in this world are dangerous ones. It's like they forgot who they hired for the job…"

"… Can I see it when you're done?"

"When I'm done? Anzu, it's going to take months to alter this thing. Thankfully I still have the original equipment for it, but it needs a ton of debugging, and it's going to take forever before it'll be safe for trial runs…"

"I can wait that long."

"… Fine. But if you get stuck in that computer system, I'm not bailing you out."

Smirking, he finished his food and waited for Anzu to be done with hers before getting up from the bed and taking it over to the kitchen sink. His mood seemed to have improved, and Anzu wondered if the change in conversation had anything to do with it. It was good to hear that his business was working out for him as well as her dancing was, and she couldn't help but smile a little when he returned to his original spot on her bed.

"So you have a hotel room in the city?"

"It's close by, if I take a cab. There's a great view of the skyline from the bedroom, like the place we stayed back in Domino. I can't go anywhere without a good view."

"When are you planning on going back tonight then?"

"Depends on when you want me to leave, Mazaki."

"I don't want you to leave…"

"You want me to stay with you?"

"Yes. Is that too much to ask for?"

"No. I'll stay."

Feeling relieved, Anzu got up and went into the kitchen. The light switch for the "living room" was there and it made the bedroom area far brighter than she wanted it to be. Instead of the overhead lights, she turned them all off and came to the large curtained windows, pulling them back to expose the shining New York skyline. The lights reflected off the glass, and the glare gave them more than enough illumination.

"Do you like it?"

"It's not like Domino, but it's bigger. And the food is interesting."

"You should try the pizza with me sometime. It's nothing like the stuff at home; I can't believe how many different toppings they have for it and everything. Now that I can eat again, I want to try a little of everything."

She went back to the bed and laid down next to Kaiba, slightly leaning over the man. He was on his back, head against one of her pillows staring at the ceiling before his blue eyes fell upon her face. They were so dark; she could barely make out the color in them. Anzu sometimes wished hers would get that deep in color, but they never did. Hers were so much lighter in comparison.

"Mazaki, what are you doing?"

"Looking at your eyes. And I told you before, don't call me Mazaki. There's no need for formalities."

"It's habit."

"Then break it."

That rewarded her with an eye roll and an exaggerated sigh. His chest deflated as all his air left his lungs, and she wondered slightly what he looked like underneath the black button up shirt he always seemed to be wearing. It was summer and Kaiba choose the darkest color, but at least it wasn't a turtle neck. He was often guilty of that too.

"Are you hot?" she asked, feeling slightly self-conscious for staring.

"A little."

"I've been trying to avoid using the air because it's so expensive, but if you want me to turn it on, I can. Usually that sort of thing doesn't bother me so much. But I know you probably don't want to get all sweaty underneath my sheets, so if you want-"

She was rambling. It only happened when she was nervous, and for some reason, it was starting to get at her. Kaiba had shared a bed with her before, but she was drunk off her ass when it happened. Frankly, she remembered very little of what was said and only vaguely recalled a kiss, but the fact that they managed to get that far still brought color to her face.

"Anzu, I'm fine. If it gets too stuffy, I'll take it off."

"You don't have to do that-"

"It's an expensive shirt; I'm not going to wear it asleep."

"You don't sleep naked, do you?"

"Now wouldn't you like to know?"

The teasing made her frown. Looking away, she glanced out at the city skyline and wandered how this situation happened in the first place, when she felt a hand against her face. It snapped her back to reality, and bringing her eyes back down to the male next to her, Anzu remembered exactly how: a short walk through the park.

"Anzu," Kaiba started, putting his hand back down, "did you really miss me?"

"I did. I wouldn't lie about my feelings."

"Are you mad at me?"

"Anymore? No. I don't hold grudges and although you irritate me at times, I'll get over it. You came back and that's what counts."

Sighing, she turned around and thought about going to sleep. She felt tired and Kaiba was probably too from jet lag. Talking his ears to death all night wasn't her plan, so instead of saying anything more, Anzu undid her hair and took off her shirt and jeans. Once her body was waist deep in covers, she closed her eyes and tried to get some sleep.

But the man next to her wouldn't let her. She could feel the bed move as his body sat on the edge of it, taking off what she believed to be his trousers before he got under alongside her. And then, holding her breath, she felt Kaiba's against her cheek as a single finger traced up and down her side. It made her skin tremble and as hard as she tried, Anzu couldn't ignore him.

"I wanted to come and see you a lot sooner, but things kept getting in the way. It wasn't my plan to wait two months. You understand that, right?"

"Of course…"

Now his hand was holding onto her hip. She could feel his body tensing up against her, and her mind began to wander as the tips of his fingers came down to her underwear. It was black lace, her favorite, and always her style of choice when the laundry was clean. Why her thoughts were stuck on clothes, she didn't know, but Anzu certainly wished she knew what Kaiba was doing.

And why she didn't tell him to stop.

"I like this apartment. It's nicer than the one you had back in Japan; I don't feel so damn claustrophobic inside this place. Americans built space with tall people in mind."

"I miss my betta though. I left it with Ryou."

She could hear Kaiba chuckle to himself before his warm hand went past her underwear and down between the partings of her legs. It grazed the hair there curiously, before he slid his index finger into her sex, gently probing the insides. While he did this, her words were caught in her throat and she closed her eyes as a tingling sensation began to develop where his finger swept.

This wasn't new to her. At least, not completely new. Several times Anzu had sat in the shower and experimented with herself, trying to figure out her body while thinking of someone special in mind for pleasure. She always ended up getting the desired response, feeling that intense wave of excitement, but it didn't compare to having a man do it on her. It made the moment feel more personal, more intimate.

"You're wet…"

His breath made her skin prickle. Anzu thought it gave him some extra motivation, because he became more aggressive with his finger play, rubbing against her harder until her breathing was audible. It was intense, and her legs were beginning to tremble as an eruption of contractions began drumming inside of her. Biting her lip was all she could do from moaning out loud, and it wasn't until Anzu finally cried out a little did Kaiba stop.

Her head felt fuzzy. She couldn't make up her mind on what to say or do, because it came as a shock to her that Kaiba would actually do that. He never seemed like the sexual type, except for the one time when they were both mad after that argument. Anzu didn't think she could ever live that down either, since she enjoyed it just as much as he did, clinging onto his waist while he grinded against her body.

This was even worse.

"Why did you do that?" she asked.

He gave no response. Turning around, Anzu was met by a confused Kaiba who only stared at her as his own shock settled in on him. Maybe he hadn't realized what he was doing until she cried out, that was a perfectly logical explanation. Kaiba was the curious type, and he was known to mess with things from time to time… But usually not with people.

What was even more embarrassing for her was how much she liked it. Anzu's response to him was faster and much more intense than all the times she'd touched herself. It was like he had some extra power over her body, because she couldn't stop herself from getting excited, despite how self-conscious she felt as he stroked her.

"_At least he isn't smug about it_", she thought.

Instead, Kaiba was just plain confused.

"I've never done that before."

"It was nice. Just, why did you do it?"

"Anzu, why do you need to ask so many damn questions?"

Listening to his voice, she could tell he didn't have an answer. He didn't know why he did what he did, and no amount of prodding could fix that. Kaiba was baffled by himself, and turning to lay flat on his back, he started staring at the ceiling.

Anzu wouldn't play that copout game with him though. Her eye brows furrowed, and moving the sheets, she got on top of him, ignoring his protests. Sure, he could easily throw her off, but she knew Kaiba wouldn't dare. Instead, he laid there confused and irritated, exposed to her for once after she herself had been exposed to him many times before. When he went to grab her legs to shove her off, Anzu grabbed his hands, interlocking fingers and pushing against him until they were at a draw.

Now it was just a battle of wills.

"Kaiba, I wouldn't ask them if you'd just answer one for once. Do you like me?"

"Why are you asking this again…?"

"I need to know. Do you like me?" She squeezed her thighs against his waist to get a response faster. Being quite strong, it shocked Kaiba a little, as he squirmed from the contact. He wasn't counting on her doing that.

"Dammit Anzu, yes. Yes, I like you. I like you more than I should, when I wish I didn't. If you had only left me alone months ago, I wouldn't be in this ridiculous predicament like I am now. That's why I did_… that_. I want you to be happy. Now will you kindly get off me?"

"No."

"No? Fine, I'll get you off."

He rose up, but Anzu pushed against him, and when he wouldn't let up and it nearly became too much for her to fight against, she kissed him. Lips against him, Anzu felt him relax to the contact, lying back down almost immediately as she laid down on him. Once he had given up fighting her, she stopped and looked at him, letting go of his hands to place them on his chest before kissing him again, this time much more aggressively.

And he didn't do anything to stop her. His skin felt moist against the palms of her hands and he smelled like expensive cologne, and it drove Anzu's senses wild as she flicked her tongue against his mouth. He had a refreshing taste, and it made her wonder if he sucked on mints all day. It was cool and made her tongue tingle and she didn't even care if he was a bit rougher than the other times before.

His hands didn't stay off of her for too long. At first they just held onto Anzu's hips, but when the kissing got fiercer, Kaiba got more explorative. They held onto the sides of her waist, going up and down the sides of her ribcage before his fingers splayed out against the outside of her bra's cups. The lace was soft against his fingertips, but not as much as human skin and it didn't come to Anzu's surprise when he began fumbling with the back of her bra's clasp.

"It's polite to ask first."

He stopped, looking at her for a second before giving her a smug look. "Like you'd tell me no."

"I should, just because you seem to have an over inflated ego that makes you think you can have or get whatever you want."

When her sentence finished, he had undone the clasp and the lace brazier began to fall off her shoulders. Anzu looked away when his hand came up and slid it off, exposing her breasts to his curious eyes. She was well-endowed, with symmetry that made most girls green with envy. Although Anzu loved her body, it was one of those things she was very sensitive about, and avoiding eye contact, she could only feel as Kaiba's thumb grazed against a nipple.

"Kaiba, what are you doing?"

"Touching you."

"Why?"

"Are you really going to ask me that?"

She gave him a look that said, "Yes, I am jerk!" but he ignored it, too distracted to get offended. Instead he sat up until his back was against the head board of the bed and used one hand to hold Anzu's hip, moving her closer. The look on his face told her he wanted to try something, and glancing at his eyes now that they were level, she thought she knew what he was planning to do.

He bowed his head, and Anzu watched as his lips met with her left breast, slightly sucking on the soft skin before kissing it. His mouth was warm and wet, the tongue smooth, and closing her eyes, she tried to ignore how good it all felt. It bothered her to know that someone she once found so infuriating knew how to make her body feel so good… It tingled when his tongue went against her nipple this time, and when he began to suck on that too, Anzu couldn't help but back away a little.

It didn't deter him. Instead, he took her mouth instead and kissed her as she relaxed to his touch again, feeling a hand in her hair before the other held onto one of her breasts. Using her thighs again, she braced herself against his body as he moved hard against her, losing herself in the moment as a moan escaped from her throat. When Kaiba stopped to move himself back under the sheets, Anzu looped her arms around his neck and went with him, watching his eyes.

Her underwear was wet and sticky against her legs. She immediately wanted to take them off, but didn't dare yet until she knew what was going on. Kaiba didn't say anything, despite now laying on his back and still kissing her, with Anzu lying on top of him. He didn't complain about it, but when she nipped at his bottom lip, he grabbed her waist and twisted around, pinning Anzu to the bed's mattress.

By just looking at his eyes, Anzu knew what he wanted to do. If not just by looking, she could feel him against her as he slowly lowered his weight on top of her, something heavy sliding against her sweat slick stomach. It could only be one thing, and curious, she lowered one hand under the sheets to feel it. He was laying on top of her now, his legs between hers, and Anzu slid her hand against him curiously for a response. Although Kaiba didn't say anything, he did hide his face in her hair, and rubbing the tip of her thumb against the wet tip rewarded her with a moan.

"You feel wet too."

"Don't tease me, Mazaki."

She stopped and he lifted his head, looking at her eyes again, this time looking more vulnerable than she had ever seen him. They were the bluest color, and lying nose to nose, Anzu could even see it in the dark. There wasn't much of him he could now hide.

"I'm not teasing you… I've just never-"

"You haven't? Well I thought…"

"Thought what? Just because I hanged out with a bunch of guys didn't mean I slept with them."

"-Will it hurt?"

"I don't think so. I've been dancing since I was five, so I doubt I'm intact anymore. Are you nervous?"

"Why the hell would I be nervous? As if. I just don't have anything on me. Wasn't exactly planning on this."

"You make a habit of running around with condoms everywhere then, Kaiba? The things you learn-"

"No!" He scoffed, looking away before meeting Anzu again. "But I bet now you wish I did."

He was about to get up, but Anzu didn't let him. Her grip around his neck was tight and she wouldn't let a good opportunity like this go so easily.

"Stop worrying, silly, I'm on birth control for my cycle."

"I wasn't worried… And don't call me silly ever again."

She rolled her eyes, but Kaiba wasn't looking at her when she did so, his mouth against her neck as he moved his weight. Using his hands, he shifted as he took off his briefs, helping Anzu slid down her own underwear before readjusting himself on top of her. Now he was right at the tip of her sex, and tilting her pelvis slightly and opening her legs wider, she bit her lip as she let him push inside her. There was no hiding his pleasure when Kaiba moaned, his lips nipping at her skin as he began to slowly thrust inside of her. Hands still around his neck, Anzu could feel his shoulder blades against the palms of her hands, digging her nails into him when the sensations began to intensify.

It was stronger than the fingering before, and neither one of them could stop themselves from breathing through their mouths. Her legs wouldn't stop shaking either, Anzu holding onto Kaiba's hips to make them still. She held on tightly against him as he thrusted deeper, stopping the neck play when he felt the sudden change. One of his hands was palming her breast while the other snaked around to her butt, and now there was nothing he left on her untouched. Looking into her eyes, Anzu felt very naked underneath him. He wasn't looking at her body, but peering into her soul, and that was a scary thing.

Although he didn't stop, there was concern written across his face. It was like he didn't know what too much was, and he was taking the safest road with her. Anzu didn't like feeling weak, and putting her hands into his hair, she grinded against Kaiba with new enthusiasm as the fluttering sensations of her body erupted into a storm of contractions. He responded by speeding up, until Anzu couldn't count the seconds between each push he gave her. No longer holding back, Kaiba worked himself to his peak, rewarded with the sounds of Anzu crying out each time he did so. She was embarrassed, but couldn't keep herself from doing it.

Finally it became too much. The feeling of sharp, intense pleasure with Kaiba being rough and grunting from effort, Anzu felt like she was falling apart. Shuttering and closing her eyes as it all burst inside of her, she heard Kaiba gasp into her neck as something rushed through her body. He didn't raise his head afterwards, and Anzu stared at the ceiling in shock, still petting his hair. The feeling of heat passed through her for at least a minute, the insides of her body sucking it in deep before it all passed over.

"Kaiba…?"

Her orgasm had ended, and now no longer feeling his, she wanted to move. Anzu wasn't tiny, but she held up to her partner's weight for as long as she could manage. Now, sweaty and covered in bodily fluids, she wanted to sleep, or take a shower. Maybe later she would try talking, but the idea of trying to say anything after all of that just didn't seem possible.

She knew Kaiba was hiding his face in her hair, but she didn't know about the smug grin plastered across his face.

"Kaiba, you're heavy."

He sighed before getting off, lying on his back looking at the ceiling as Anzu did the same. Turning his head, he looked at her first. She could feel his stare, the weight of his eyes on her, and looking at him, she still couldn't think of anything intelligent to say to him. Not after hearing him moan and cry out at climax, something so private Anzu couldn't believe he even allowed himself to do it. Or maybe he really couldn't stop himself.

"Anzu, I …"

Maybe he was going to try saying something. Nervous as to what, she glanced away towards the window. He didn't say anything more though, so she turned towards Kaiba again and smiled at him, before moving herself over to his side. His skin was soft and after moving his arm over her shoulders, Anzu latched herself to his side and laid her head against his chest. To her surprise, he didn't fight it but looked away. That didn't bother her in the slightest though. Closing her eyes, she waited for sleep to come.


	11. Chapter 11: Home Cooked

It was starting to rain, the fat droplets of water splashing against the windows as the sounds of taxi horns went off below. Waking up on his side, Kaiba opened his eyes into a dark strange place. He felt strange too, and it took him a while to realize just where he was. Anzu's apartment was new to him, and glancing around the dark space, he waited for his eyes to adjust. A part of him just wanted to go back to sleep, but remembering what happened only hours before, he couldn't. He wanted to talk to her.

Anzu was still fast asleep. Her back was turned towards him and her breathing was slow. Smirking at her, he laid down close and watched. It was a surprise that she hadn't woken up at all, since Mokuba had told him that Kaiba sometimes snored when he went to sleep exhausted. And he certainly felt exhausted. Not just from sex, but from the jet lag and running around the airport looking for a taxi that could get him into downtown New York. His body felt dead from all the effort.

But it was worth it. She was worth seeing again, and he was glad he went back to her, despite the bad feelings in the beginning. Kaiba still couldn't wrap his mind around Yugi being there, but maybe… maybe Yugi wasn't a threat. The longtime rival was back in California, or so the reports said, and he wasn't making any plans to come back to New York anytime soon.

Still, why was he at the performance? Kaiba was under the impression that Anzu wasn't talking to any of her old friends. And frankly, that didn't bother him at all. The fewer losers around to get in his business, the better. He didn't want Jonouchi or Honda or any of those other idiots getting any ideas about what he was doing with Anzu. Hell, he wasn't even sure what he was doing with Anzu. It was still so unclear to him.

He did know, however, that he planned on sticking around to find out. Being alone wasn't appealing to him any longer. There was something better about being with a person, especially one who could be trusted. Anzu wasn't going to leave him anytime soon. At least if she did, it wasn't at any fault of her own. She seemed to appreciate her friends more than she appreciated herself, a fault Kaiba found amiable yet foolish. It wasn't something he could ever do himself. People were too capable of betraying him to let his heart go willingly.

It was a struggle he was still fighting while lying next to a sleeping woman he had felt so close to. At first he felt so weak. For the longest time, Kaiba believed bonds between people made them targets for pain. Unfortunately for the young man, people preyed upon his love for Mokuba and used him for extortion, almost to the point where Kaiba wished he didn't have a brother. Being alone was easier. Safe.

Now he had someone else he couldn't help but want to protect. Someone who didn't want to be protected by him either, which made it worse. Anzu was willful and defiant, traits that made her interesting but extremely hard to live with on a daily basis. Unlike most people in his life, Kaiba couldn't bully her into doing anything she didn't want to do. She was going to have her way, and it had been a long time since he had to bend to the will of others. Especially to a woman.

Anzu was worth it though. Looking at her gave him a sense of security that seemed so unreal to him, he couldn't give her up. Not when things were getting better for him and for once, Kaiba didn't feel so misunderstood and alone. People never tried to get to know him. They just used him for his intelligence, like he was some piece of hardware they could buy at a store. Since childhood this had been the case, and the only person who ever tried to look beyond the surface was sleeping in the bed next to him.

Kaiba didn't want to admit to anything though. He didn't think it would be fair for him to spill his feelings while Anzu kept a cool distance, playing them off like friends. They had to be something more than just that… Anzu said so herself, she never did anything with the guys she hung out with, yet willingly she gave herself to him. Out of all those losers and guys she could have chosen to have, Anzu chose him, Seto Kaiba, someone she once only tolerated out of politeness years before. Now that wasn't the case.

There was a grin growing on his face, and Kaiba didn't even try hiding it. Finally, he got something Yugi couldn't take from him. Anzu had chosen him and there wasn't anything the midget could do about it. He knew how much Yugi liked her. It was obvious, catching those pathetic looks he gave her while they dueled in Battle City. Even before then too, and at first Kaiba found it pitiful.

Now though, he could understand why Yugi felt the way he did. But he wouldn't let him take her away. Not after getting so far.

It was bothering him how much he desired to talk to her. Having woken up several times, he just wanted to have a conversation again before he got too cowardly to speak to her. Sometimes it was easy being honest with her, but other times…Shit wasn't easy. The things he needed to say to her, at the best of times, Kaiba didn't want to repeat more than once. Once was hard enough.

"Anzu…"

Moving close to her side, he tried shaking her shoulders. She looked dead asleep, rolling onto her stomach when he tried moving her again. Squeezing her arm did nothing, and becoming irritated, Kaiba pinched her lower back, moving just out of the way before getting wacked in the face.

"That hurt! What was that for?"

"I want to talk."

Her body slumped against the bed again. She looked annoyed, and turning around, he could see how exhausted she was. Sleep still stuck to her eyes, and wiping them, Anzu frowned a little.

"It's the middle of the night, Kaiba. Can't it wait?"

"I can't sleep. So, no."

"… I'm tired and sore. Do you really want to keep me up right now?"

It sounded like a warning, but what was Anzu going to do to him? Throw a pillow at his face? She wasn't that scary in the least.

"Yes."

"You're ridiculous, fine."

Anzu propped herself back up with an elbow, looking quite out of it. She was still pretty, in a way naturally attractive people always were, but her face had tensed up since being asleep. He instantly felt guilty for forcing her awake before she was ready. Anyone else would have just ignored his pleads for attention.

But Anzu tried waking up. Sighing, she blinked her eyes repeatedly as the man started to speak.

"I just feel like telling you something I haven't told anyone before… It's stupid really, but I think about things like this from time to time.

When I young, my mother used to bake. Even when she was pregnant with Mokuba, that woman was always doing something in the kitchen. I didn't understand it for the longest time, but I think she was trying to make my father happy. He hated eating restaurant food, and although we could afford a cook, she did everything herself nearly every single night, no matter what time he got home…"

"Kaiba, what is this about?"

"Anzu just let me finish the story."

He was beating around the bush. Looking at Anzu's face, he knew she knew, but the girl wasn't going to fight him. If he wanted to take his time, she'd let him as long as it didn't mean staying up the entire night. She wanted rest.

"… When she died, my father stopped having anything to do with home. He stopped coming around each day, and hired a cook to handle all my meals. My brother was only an infant, and I don't think he could stand the sight of him, because he had taken her away.

But I think it was even worse looking at me. My mother and I look exactly alike. And you, for some odd reason I cannot fandom just yet, you look even more like her. It bothers me more than you'll ever know."

"… Why are you telling me this now?"

"It was just on my mind. You were asleep and I couldn't help but watch you, and the thought came over me."

"Is something really bothering you? If it'll help you sleep better, I'll listen. But you need to stop beating around the bush and just tell me what's eating at you, because I can't help you Kaiba if you won't help yourself."

"-Did I hurt you?"

"… Is this what's bothering you? No, you didn't."

Believing the conversation to be over, she rolled back to her spot, shutting her eyes. She just wanted sleep more than anything, but Kaiba shook her shoulders again. Groaning, she sat up once more, sighing some before giving her partner a cross look. Sleep wouldn't be coming anytime soon... Not until Kaiba got off his chest whatever it as he wanted to say.

"I'm not done, Anzu."

"Why can't it wait until morning? I'll be able to understand what you're saying better in the morning…"

"If you needed to talk to me, I would stay up until the sun came over the hills for you. Apparently you can't do the same for me. How disappointing."

"Why are you being so damn irritable?"

There was no point in trying to relax when her bed partner was all upset. Kaiba would never admit to feeling emotional, but Anzu wasn't stupid. He was acting out, for some reason he didn't understand, and he wanted to explain himself to Anzu but he didn't know how. The right words wouldn't come and it just made him even more frustrated.

"I'm not being irritable… And just look at you, you're no ball of sun shine, Anzu. I try talking to you like a human being, and you're biting my head off."

"… Kaiba, I'm listening. What do you need to tell me?"

"When you were in New York, I actually found you."

"What."

Anzu was shocked. Her mouth was slack and her eyes narrowed slightly as she tried to figure out in her head what Kaiba was telling her. He knew it would upset her if Anzu knew, but he couldn't keep secrets from her. Kaiba did support her, when he could, even if it meant from a distance. Anzu may have thought he was cold and thoughtless, but that wasn't always the case.

"You found me?"

"I went to your performances."

"Why didn't you say anything to me?"

"You appeared distracted with new friends, so I decided I could better enjoy you from afar and wait until you came back home, if you were going home. If not, I knew you'd be better off there with those sorts of people. I'm damaged goods, Anzu. I've been doing more harm than good for you."

It was a coup out. Maybe if he said that, she'd leave him alone and not bother to ask anymore. She didn't need to know that he had seen Yugi with her. That would open up a huge can of worms he didn't want lose all over. He could hear in his head already what she'd say about it, and it didn't sound good.

"I don't believe that for a minute. Maybe if you didn't pity yourself so damn much, you'd see that you're not bad. Sure, you've done some shitty things to me and my friends, but overall, you're a good person. I've told you this before."

"How am I a good person? I'm a coward and you know it."

"Do you remember in Battle City when those thugs caught me and strapped me down to that chair? They were going to kill me if you tried stopping that duel against Yugi and Jonouchi, but somehow you managed to stop them. You certainly didn't have to. No one could have forced you into doing anything for me, but for whatever reason, you crashed a damn helicopter into the ocean to make sure I didn't get crushed."

"And I threw my best card at him."

The blue eyes white dragon. She saved his brother and it was only fair for him to extend the same respect onto her. He didn't like her much at that point, but someone was looking out for the kid, and that meant a great deal to him. Although he played off the entire event when it happened years ago, Kaiba never forgot it.

"Was it Obelisk?'

"That was never my best card. Technically speaking, I didn't even own it. Ishizu allowed me to borrow it, and although I did plan on stealing it at some point, I did end up losing it. No, the blue eyes white dragon was always my best card."

"Why are you so attached to it?"

No one had really asked him that before. Did Mokuba even know? Maybe not, because Kaiba always assumed the kid knew about what happened that night when he first got to Gozaburo's mansion, but maybe he didn't. It wouldn't surprise him if he actually never told him. Mokuba didn't know about a lot of things.

"It requires me telling you a story."

"I'll listen. Promise."

"It was the first night after we were adopted; Mokuba and I. Gozaburo had dumped a load of work onto my hands and threatened to lock me in my room until all of it was finished. I wasn't to see anyone or eat anything until all of it was over, and the only thing that was allowed inside my room was reference books. I don't know what that stupid old man was expecting out of me, but let's just say I didn't get any sleep that night or the next two after.

Anyways, when Mokuba found out, he had smuggled in a gift for me. It was something to lift my spirits up, I suppose. Unlike me, he was allowed to do whatever he wanted right away, and he'd drawn a blue eyes white dragon and placed it into one of the books I asked for. I'd always liked that card, but I didn't know he had found out. Since then, I vowed no matter what it took, I'd get those cards and they'd be mine and no one else's."

Looking away, Anzu mused over it. She slumped against the bed and stared out in the dark, trying to make out the furniture in her bedroom. Maybe she felt a little uncomfortable. Kaiba almost never told her personal information about his life. Or anyone, really.

But he wasn't offended. He just lay on his back and stared at the girl next to him. She was pretty, in her typical way without having to really try. Her body was all curves, and it was interesting to watch her silhouette, and how the sheets dipped at her waist and rose back up at the hips. If her arms weren't so tight against her chest, he would have been able to see more of her, but he knew how she felt about her body.

"And I succeeded, with time. I got all the blue eyes cards, and I'll be burned with them on my funeral prier before giving them up to anyone."

"… Don't you think Mokuba would like something of yours to remember you by? I know when I die, I'll leave my post prized possessions to my family, not take them with me to the grave."

"What do you have that's so valuable?"

She blinked at him several times, before smiling and reaching across his body to pull something out of the bedside table drawer. Watching, he saw her hair fall into her face and could feel her chest against his legs, but he said and did nothing. Admiring was better than getting all worked up for nothing. If she was tired and grouchy, there was no point.

"This."

She sat back down, her back against the head board of the bed, exposing her chest. Kaiba, eyes straining in the dark, reached over and turned on the lamp, getting a glimpse of the girl's pink nipples before seeing what was in her hands. A velvet jewelry box. He'd never seen her wear anything before…

"What's inside it?"

"Open it silly, and find out."

He hated being called that, but instead of being hostile over the nickname, Kaiba just grabbed the box and glared at her. She didn't seem deterred, folding her arms and looking down at him with a smug grin. In her mind, he was sure that the girl was teasing him.

Lifting up the box's lid, he saw a silver necklace with two ballet shoes on the pendant. The laces were made out of gold, and it actually looked expensive. It wasn't the cheap crap girls got from their boyfriends… Someone who really cared must have given it to her.

"Ballet slippers?"

"It's my aunt's. She was a ballet dancer, a long time ago. After her first performance, my grandfather bought this for her at Tiffany's. Before she died, she was on stage in New York, like where I'd like to be, and she was the senior ballerina of her company for one year before getting killed. When she died, my grandfather gave it to me, because he knew I would have wanted it."

"How did she die?"

"A horse riding accident. Broke her neck and that was that. But if it wasn't for her, I never would have had a passion for anything. She took me to my first show, when I was ten. Flew me all the way to New York and I got to stand backstage with the dancers as they prepared. Never saw so many beautiful people in my entire life… They sparkled, from the glitter on their faces. It was like being surrounded by angels."

"So if you died, who would you give this to?"

"My younger sister. She's not a dancer, but she'd want something of mine to keep."

Taking the box back from Kaiba, she placed the item away. Anzu was tired, so tired, but Kaiba wasn't ready for sleep yet. His eyes were still wide awake, and his voice wasn't slowing down any. For some reason, he felt so awake.

"… Kaiba, why did you go all the way to New York and not say a word to me? Do you know how just… stupid that sounds? Sometimes I really think you're socially retarded, because it's like you don't even realize how wrong you are-"

"-I saw you leave the theater with a man. Didn't feel like intruding."

"What man? And why didn't you call me?"

"Yugi. You met up with Yugi. I saw him there with the roses, and had enough of it. There was no way on earth I was going to come over to you with him there, looking at you the way he does. No thank you, I could wait until you made the trip back home. Happy?"

"No, not really. I didn't think you still found him a threat."

"I don't find Yugi Mutou a threat-"

"-then you should have come over to see me."

She was right, he should have. Who knows where they would have been, if he had. There was three nights of Swan Lake, and although he was in the crowd every single time, he didn't wait for her. He saw that other male and took off to his hotel, instead of being the man he once was and making his presence felt. Wouldn't it be something, letting know how far he'd gotten now that the old world champion had left Domino?

"You're right. I should have."

Grumbling, he narrowed his eyes at his companion and turned his back towards her. He hated that Anzu made sense and that he'd walked off for something so stupid. Crossing his arms, he closed his eyes and imagined himself somewhere else. In his own bed, perhaps, alone.

"I guess we're no longer talking then, huh? Goodnight, Kaiba."

Yawning, Anzu went down next to him, closing her eyes once more. Turning his head, he immediately felt stupid for acting out. He wanted her to understand how he felt, but she never would get something like that. Anzu didn't have anything to defend, while Kaiba had everything in the world to lose. Simple things stirred him up, but now he realized that he needed more control over it. Maybe it was best to just pretend she hadn't hurt him.

Besides, he didn't want her to think he was immature. It was probably too late, but maybe he could appease her into changing her mind. Moving over to Anzu's side of the bed, Kaiba lay right up against her back and put his head right next to her loose hair. She stiffened a little, like when he had first began fingering her, but as soon as his hand went around her waist, Anzu relaxed. Then, to his surprise, she intertwined her fingers into his own.

"I'm not exactly done, Anzu."

There was a sigh and Kaiba watched as Anzu turned her head a little to look at him. He thought between the two of them she'd be far emotional afterwards, but apparently the female next to him was just too tired for that sort of reacting. Her eyes were half lid and shined in the dark. It made him feel very guilty, keeping her up for so long, but the urge to talk just wouldn't leave him. All his emotions were lashing about inside of him, and Kaiba had no idea how to express any of them.

"What are we exactly? Because this isn't what friends do with one another. Friends don't lie next to each other naked in bed, and they certainly don't have sex with one another, this is just so damn confusing."

"I honestly don't know, I've been trying to figure this out myself…"

Sighing, Kaiba moved his head closer to the back of Anzu's head, smelling her hair. It had his smell all over it now, a strange mix of odors that he couldn't stop himself from inhaling. Lying there, he closed his eyes and tried to make sense of his situation.

"Anzu, what exactly do you want from me?"

"What do I want from you? Well…" She paused for a minute, squeezing his hand under the sheets before thinking of an answer. "I guess I want to try and see what this is between us. Is that too much to ask for?"

"No, it isn't. As long as I don't have to buy you flowers and crap, I'm fine with it."

"I'd never ask anything like that of you. However, since you are sleeping with me naked and you do buy me dinner on occasions, I'm gonna have to give you the label of boyfriend until I can come up with something better."

"-boyfriend?"

He opened his eyes and looked at Anzu like she was half mad, but the girl just shook her head to his question. It didn't seem to bother her too much, the idea of dating him, than he thought it would. For some reason, Kaiba was still under the impression that she merely tolerated his company because he wouldn't leave her alone. It wasn't until that kiss at the airport that he finally realized that maybe she liked him more than she was letting on.

Kaiba was very clueless, for a smart man.

"It won't be as bad as it sounds. I won't even tell anyone. But you asked me what this is, and I guess most people would call what we're doing dating…"

"I hate that term."

"Yeah well, you forced me to go out with you first, asshole. Deal with it."

Snorting indignity, Kaiba closed his eyes and finally decided to just shut off his brain. Sleep deprivation was catching up to him, and Anzu was right… They were dating. He couldn't logically argue against it, and wasn't that kind of what he wanted anyway? If they weren't dating, any guy would snag her from right under him, and the thought of that happening irked him. When Kaiba got something, he kept it and no one would make him out to be a fool unless he decided that it wasn't worth having any longer.

Although with Anzu, he knew in the back of his head that wouldn't be the case. If anything, she'd grow tired of him and would move on. Maybe not anytime soon, but one day…

"Fine. We're dating, you win. Happy now?"

"Extremely. And tired too. I can't stay up any longer, or I'll fall asleep on you. Goodnight, Kaiba."

"Goodnight."

He continued to watch her until Anzu's breathing slowed to a steady rate. She was asleep in a matter of minutes, fingers still gripping his own. It amazed him how comfortable she was doing that, not caring if Kaiba could see her or not. What still got him too was her desire for him to stay with her. The fact that he was needed…

Eventually, the exhausted man couldn't keep his eyes open any longer, and after one more glance at his sleeping partner, Kaiba closed his eyes and slept through the rest of the night.


	12. Chapter 12: American

The next morning Anzu woke up to the sound of Kaiba's snoring. It wasn't loud, but just noticeable enough that the girl didn't think there would be much of a point in trying to sleep in now that she could hear him right behind her. Glancing at the clock on her bedside table, Anzu knew it was mid-morning already and the both of them should have been up hours ago. They'd miss half of the day if they didn't rise soon, and she wanted to take Kaiba out for breakfast. For some reason, the idea appealed to her.

"Kaiba, are you awake?"

She jabbed him a little with her elbow, but the man only groaned and dug his head into the back of her head. He was pretty deep in sleep by the looks of things, and Anzu couldn't do too much about it. His grip around her was still there, and asleep, Kaiba's arms were like dead weight. Although she tried prying him off, it was unsuccessful and only made him grip around her tighter.

"When did you become so damn heavy?"

Changing her plan of attack, Anzu twisted around to face him. Eyes closed and mouth slightly ajar; Kaiba looked absolutely out of it. His hair was a mess and moving the bangs out of the way, Anzu noticed just how long his eye lashes were. He had noticeable freckles too, with the light shining against his face. They were scattered across his nose, but someone would have to be right up in his face to see them.

Then the desire to touch him came over her. If he was asleep, Kaiba wouldn't be able to react to her and Anzu could do just about whatever she wanted to him without repercussions. He seemed quite out of it, so using her index finger, she started tracing out the man's jaw line. It was so pronounced, going up to Kaiba's high cheek bones and onto his ears. His hair was in the way, soft and thick, and then she outlined his eye brows. For a man, they were quite slender in shape.

"I can't believe I didn't notice all of this in high school…"

Musing over it, Anzu traced another finger across his bottom lip before coming over the tip of Kaiba's nose. He had a very dignified nose that was slightly pointy for the man's face. Nothing that took away from his attractiveness, but Anzu did notice it and couldn't help but snicker a little. Sliding her finger up and down the ridge, she jumped in surprise when Kaiba's eyes suddenly fluttered open. Almost like an instant reflex, he grabbed the hand that was touching him, with an expression between irritation and confusion written clearly across his face.

"What are you doing?" he mumbled, blinking several times before releasing Anzu's hand.

"Touching you. I couldn't help it, don't judge me."

He gave her a look that said, "Too late, I am already" before letting go of her waist, moving onto his back. His eyes were on the ceiling and he looked lost in thought, like the night before but even more so now that he was awake and refreshed. Still lying next to him, chin sitting in the palms of her propped up arm, Anzu tried to study him.

"Kaiba, are you okay?"

"Yes."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive."

"… If you want to talk again, we can."

"I don't need another friendship speech, Anzu. Just let me clear my head."

Frowning, Anzu turned around and got out of the sheets, sitting on the edge of the bed. Grabbing a robe from off the ground, she draped it around her arms, no longer wanting to be exposed with the light touching her skin. Glancing at Kaiba, she could see his blue eyes on her, but he didn't say anything. Not until she tried leaving, did his voice fill the room and Anzu stopped to sit on the bed and listen to him.

"… Do you ever plan on coming back home after this?" he asked.

"Home?"

"Domino, Japan. You talked about staying here, and I wasn't sure if anything was final."

"Oh yes, I didn't make the company this year. They want me to try again next year though, to see if I mature more with my style before taking me on. It sounds promising, actually. I might have a chance at this. They just want a dancer with more experience than I have now, and I can't blame them."

Sitting back down, she tried the robe across her chest and turned so she was facing Kaiba. He was still looking at the ceiling, only glancing Anzu's way when he decided to speak. Other than that, he wasn't really moving much.

"Are you going to continue dancing at the University then?"

"Yes, until someone picks me up. I still have time, and I don't think I'm ready to leave home just yet anyways. My parents would flip out on me; I've been ignoring their calls for months."

"That isn't very respectful."

"I'm not a very good daughter… It's late and I'm sure you have places to be. Your conference and all-"

"-It doesn't start again until noon. I have a presentation at four, so I don't really need to be there until three o clock at the latest. They can wait until then."

"I say I take a shower and you get changed, and we meet at this Coney Island I know close to here."

"A Coney what?"

"It's a diner, Kaiba. They are very popular and I like their food, so we are going to one. Usually they do Greek stuff like gyros and spinach pie with goat cheese, but the typical stuff is really good too.

"Actually Anzu, I think I had it before."

"Well great! Give me forty-five minutes and meet me at Hercules's Coney Island two blocks east from here. I'll get a booth and if there's time, I'll give you a quick tour around, okay?'

"All right."

Anzu smiled at him, before getting up and disappearing into the privacy of her bathroom. She didn't feel comfortable enough with Kaiba to just walk around naked in front of him, and he was waiting for her to leave the room anyways. It didn't look like he was planning to leave the safety of the bed covers until she was gone. Glancing back at him before closing the bathroom door, Anzu could see him looking under the sheets before pulling out his black boxer briefs from the night before. It made her snort in amusement.

Once inside the bathroom, Anzu slid off her robe and turned on the faucet in the shower. She set it on hot, grabbing her wash cloth and bar of dove soap before sitting against the back of the tub. It felt good, having the hot water drip off her sore body and the smells of the night before disappearing with the buds of soap as she worked on cleaning her limbs. Her inner thighs wouldn't stop aching, and laying the wash cloth there, she looked up at the shower head as water rushed to meet her face.

It was quiet, until the sound of Kaiba shutting the door of the apartment broke the silence. Anzu immediately shook her head, clearing her mind as thoughts finally flooded her over what she had done. The realization hadn't really hit her, but now alone, Anzu was feeling a wave of emotions hit. Looking away from the water, she tried to make sense of it all.

She had sex with Kaiba the night before. Anzu, the good girl who never did anything bad outside of arguing with her parents and the one time she ran off from home during break, allowed a man to stay in her bedroom and seduced him. Outside of the one isolated incident that led to her being at Duelist Kingdom with Yugi and her friends, she really followed a straight goodie two shoes path. For the longest time, it was her hope to save it for the one special man she'd meet in her life… someone who would treat her like a treasure and be romantic, like in the novels.

Kaiba was nothing like the men she dreamed about. In fact, he was the rival of the one who for the longest time haunted the darkest sexual fantasies Anzu thought about while asleep. She dreamed of being on the Nile next to him, wearing nothing but muslin while watching the boats go by. They were both tanned from the Egyptian heat, but in love, she didn't care. As he sat there next to her looking at the pyramids beyond the river, Anzu stared into his violet eyes, gazing with affection, although in real life it would never be returned.

It was a foolish dream. Her love, or what she had believed to be love at the time, didn't last when the man finally returned to the afterlife in which he belonged. Now nothing of him was left, although Yugi would always remain her friend regardless of the painful memories he sometimes brought back .Anzu would never tell him how she felt. Sharing those dark secrets would have broken his heart, because she knew that her best friend was harboring feelings for her…

The night he came to the ballet proved it. Yugi came with yellow roses, a symbol of friendship, but Anzu knew better. He was trying again, in his hopeful yet innocent way, to win her heart. There was a certain look in his eyes that gave it away, a look not meant between platonic friends. Although she didn't understand it in high school, spending time alone with Kaiba taught her many things about understanding the eyes and what they might be trying to show or hide. According to some, they are the windows to a person's soul, and Yugi's was all open for her to see.

She didn't feel anything for him though. He was her friend, and nothing more. There could never be anything else between them, because as far as Anzu was concerned, she didn't feel any sort of desire for him. Although she cared for him deeply and wanted him to be happy, that romantic passion Anzu dreamed out, the sort that overwhelmed the senses until her heart would burst from the intensity of her emotions- it wasn't there.

Yugi could only be a friend.

Her hair was soaked, and getting up off the floor of the tub, Anzu squeezed a generous amount of shampoo on her hands. Lathering it up, she applied it to the roots of her hair, covering her scalp, before rinsing it all off. It smelled like baby oil, which was a subtle scent she enjoyed. It didn't overwhelm people and usually made her pretty calm when she got a whiff of it.

After only letting it sit for a minute, she got back under the shower head. Hot water brought down white puffs of soap, running down in masses and pooling around the drain while Anzu worked on rinsing her hair. The good thing about baby shampoo was it didn't burn the eyes, and after combing all the knots out, she stood under the water and sighed.

Kaiba was trapped in her thoughts. He made her blood run hot, and Anzu couldn't fool herself into thinking that he was just a friend any longer. She could let the water of the shower run as long as she wanted, and her fair skin could burn red for hours, but it wouldn't change the fact that the man knew her body and had touched her like no one had before. Scrubbing the scent of him off wouldn't change the fact that a little bit of him was inside her now, and as soon as they had finished the night before together, Anzu wanted more.

He drove her crazy. His attitude, the way he acted nonchalant about everything and everyone, and just how damn spoiled the man was over having his way. How Kaiba thought it would be okay to just announce himself at her apartment like he owned the place, and somehow allow things to lead up to them having sex together after weeks apart. It didn't make any sense. Since when did he gain so much power over her? She couldn't figure it out, and it drove her nuts. Why did she care about him so much?

It couldn't have been just sexual. There was a level of intimacy there that she had never experienced before with anyone, and it did make her feel special. Kaiba told her things in confidence he'd never tell anyone else, and he wasn't the emotionless shell he tried to come as when they were alone. He was capable of feelings and being decent when he wanted to be, which was becoming increasingly more common in their relationship. The man wasn't like the duelist she had met six years ago. Her feelings about him were constantly changing because of it, and she really didn't know how to just accept that. Maybe she actually needed him.

Her friends would never understand though. Jonouchi especially wouldn't, and getting out of the shower, Anzu wasn't surprised to find herself alone in her studio once more. Sitting down on her bed, she began drying off her legs while thinking over it, how they'd react if they knew. She already felt like telling Ryou, just to tell someone, and he wasn't the sort to really care. He and Kaiba never talked.

But if Jonouchi ever found out, he'd flip. He would most certainly take it as a betrayal and would try to get Yugi to do something about it. Yugi would probably refuse, out of embarrassment, and being a big hot head, Jonouchi would try something stupid. Maybe even try threatening Kaiba, or something equally retarded. She didn't put it past him.

Thinking that and more, Anzu got herself dressed and rushed out the door. Kaiba would be expecting to see her soon, and she wouldn't be late. A t-shirt and shorts were enough for her, since the weather was beginning to become ungodly hot. Unless something changed fast, Anzu was pretty sure she would be sleeping naked again to save herself the cooling bill.

It was an hour later when the two finally met up at a Coney Island Anzu knew about. The restaurants were everywhere, and the Anzu had taken a quick liking to them. They reminded her partly of Burger World, but the food was better made and far more authentic than the wannabe American burger cafe ever was. It reminded her of home, but also of how lucky she was to not be there.

Since the morning rush had long left to work, Anzu was pleased to only having to wait ten minutes for a table. By the time her server sat her down at a booth, Kaiba showed up, dressed entirely in black. Apparently it didn't matter to him that it was summer, because he wore the same similar clothes as the Battle City outfit two years ago, minus the white jacket and turtle neck.

"Going to a funeral later today, Kaiba?"

"What are you talking about?"

He took a seat across the table, giving the girl a strange look before grabbing the menu. His hair looked slightly damp and he smelled surprisingly good. Whatever the man was wearing, Anzu couldn't exactly name it but the smell was very distracting with the clean yet masculine scent. It matched him perfectly.

"I'm talking about you," snickered Anzu. "You're dressed entirely in black and it's the middle of July. That's just so silly."

"I like wearing black. And I don't think I ever asked for your opinions over my style choices either."

"Don't be so sensitive, I was just joking with you. It would be nice to see you dress normal for once."

There was a scoff, but Kaiba didn't say anything else. When the server came, he ordered some tea and didn't look too pleased to be in such a casual place, but Anzu didn't care. She asked for a hot chocolate and could barely contain her excitement when it came with whipped cream, covered in chocolate syrup and sprinkles. It looked more dessert than drink.

"Anzu, what happened to you keeping your figure?"

"Kaiba, I don't have any performances until fall, so I'm going to enjoy my break while I can. This is the most amazing thing I've ever seen, and if I could eat this every day of my life, I would."

"You won't be so pretty on stage once all your teeth rot off..."

He added some sugar into his tea and stirred it, rolling his eyes. Now Kaiba was back to his old self, and it was slightly relieving for Anzu. She didn't want things being all awkward, especially after the talk they had. There was a lot of things said and agreed to, but she didn't want things to change too much. Even if that meant Kaiba being a little smart mouth instead of actually caring for once, she didn't mind. It was what she was comfortable with.

"My teeth aren't going to rot, I brush them every day. Besides, look at you putting all that sugar in your cup. You won't even taste the tea now."

"There was never that much to taste, this shit is cheap. And I only used half a spoonful, so you have no room to judge."

The waitress showed up soon after, taking their orders and refilling Anzu's glass with water. She didn't mind the interruption, rolling her eyes at her companion's spoiled attitude as he sneered at his cup of tea. Anzu honestly didn't think the diner was all that bad, but she never drank expensive tea even back in Japan. Being a working college student with dance lessons to pay for, it wasn't worth the expense.

She had some money saved up though, because she wanted to cover breakfast. Unlike the other times before, Anzu felt like buying and maybe taking a bus out so they could visit a museum or something else interesting. Her English was pretty good, and Kaiba's sounded almost completely Atlantic except for the flawless grammar that came off just a bit too artificial. He sounded proper to a fault, and hearing him order food in a foreign language made her smirk just a little.

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

The waitress had left the table, and setting the menu down, Kaiba caught Anzu's look. He made a strange face of mixed confusion, unsure of how to respond. Looking at him, Anzu knew he wasn't quite comfortable, because he wouldn't keep steady eye contact with her to save his life. It made her smirk, and she couldn't stop herself from picking at him while she had the chance.

"Your English sounds too perfect to be passing, Kaiba."

"There's nothing wrong with my English, _Mazaki_…"

He was stirring his cup absentmindedly, staring at the liquid as his spoon spun around in small circles. Despite the snarky attitude, Kaiba was acting strange. A strange Anzu had never dealt with, and it made her curious about what exactly was going through his head at the moment. His eyes were avoiding hers and he kept his voice low and nearly in auditable, even though none of the Americans near them would be able to make out their Japanese.

"Kaiba, you sound like one of our teachers back in high school. It's funny, don't such a grump. I kind of wish my English was more proper, because the girls in my dancing classes have been trying to help me improve, but now I've picked up a bunch of slang terms that make me sound stupid in front of the instructors."

"You don't sound stupid."

"Pretty sure I do. My accent is noticeable, too. People are always asking me to resay stuff, ugh. I wish I paid more attention in class, because I knew this would happen to me. How did you manage it at school? I mean, my parents never spoke it at home, so I had no way of picking it up beforehand."

"I already knew English before high school."

"What?"

"I was taught some by my mother, but later when I was adopted it was implemented as a part of my studies."

"No wonder your pronunciation is so perfect. I am so envious of you."

"It's nothing to be jealous over."

He went quiet again, staring at his tea before the waitress came back with their food. Anzu had a large pile of blueberry pancakes with butter and blueberry syrup. There was nothing stopping her from enjoying real food again, and dumping a pile of berries on top of her pancakes, she enthusiastically conquered her plate.

Kaiba stared at his for a while before trying it. He had eggs, toast, and oatmeal with a bowl of fruit. It hadn't occurred to Anzu that the man was so health conscious when it came to his meals, but it made sense. His body was in much better shape than most people she knew outside of dance, and he obviously took care of it. Maybe he worked out? That was a likely possibility.

Her thoughts were interrupted though when the male cleared his throat, his eyes looking back up at Anzu before wiping his hands on his napkin. He looked at her for a second, before tossing the napkin on his empty plate and turning his chair slightly so he could sit cross legged under the table.

"Do I have something on my face, because you won't stop staring at me?"

"There are a few crumbs on the corners of your mouth, but that's about it."

Grumbling, Kaiba used the back of his hand to brush them off. Then, looking rather indignant, he glanced out towards the window before drumming his fingers on the table. Anzu just continued to watch him with a slight grin on her face. She was only half way done with her food, and she didn't care if he was feeling slightly impatient. He'd wait on her regardless.

"And I'm not trying to stare at you, Kaiba. You just can be entertaining to watch sometimes, and you are sitting right in front of me. Would you rather have me stare at some other guy?"

"No."

"… Are you sure you're okay? Because you've been acting weird all this morning and if you want to talk…"

"I'm fine."

"No, you're not fine. I can tell. You're more moody than usual."

"Only because you won't stop pestering me."

"Would you rather me not care about your feelings?"

"Mazaki, you care too much about everything."

"And you don't care enough. Just because you're a guy doesn't mean things don't get to you. You're not fooling anyone. And I don't see why we can't talk about it, since it's not like anyone around us is going to know anyways."

"There's nothing to talk about," said Kaiba dryly.

"That's a lie. You can't even look me in the eyes right now. What's your problem? I haven't been anything but nice to you, and you're treating me like a stranger. What did I do to piss you off like this?"

"Nothing. It doesn't have anything to do with something you've done."

"Then what?"

"I don't want to talk about it, so just do me a favor and leave it."

His blue eyes went back to the window and feeling quite peeved, Anzu dumped her utensils on her plate and threw her napkin on top for dramatic effect. She couldn't believe him. Why did she get involved with someone who insisted on acting so emotionally detached? Kaiba made no sense to her, especially when he always tried making things harder for himself. If he'd only just talk to her-

"Fine Kaiba, be a jerk then. After I pay for this, I'm just going to go back to my apartment, because I can tell already that you really don't want to be around me right now. I don't know what I did to you to cause this, but since you won't tell me, I guess I'll just go home and save myself the trouble."

"No."

"No, what?"

Before Kaiba could answer, the waitress returned and he hijacked the bill before sending it back with his own credit card, folding his arms when the woman walked away with it. Anzu couldn't stop herself from sneering at him. He did that deliberately, and it was her plan to pay for the meal. She wanted to do her part for once, and he needed to be the asshole and make sure she didn't get a chance to.

"Why did you pay for it when I just said I was going to?"

"It's not your job to."

"Job to? Excuse me asshole, I have money too and if I feel like covering for our "dates", then I should get to. I don't remember agreeing to you paying for everything."

"Mazaki, I make far more money than you, so just stop complaining about it."

"Maybe I don't want to owe you anything, Kaiba. Did you ever think of that?"

"Owe me? You don't owe me anything. Do you honestly think I expect anything in return?"

"Then why do you do it? Since when do you do anything for anyone without some sort of compensation, Kaiba?"

"How about I care about you for one-"

"-You sure have a funny way of showing it."

The waitress came back, handing Kaiba his check and card with a confused look on her face. Coming back to an arguing couple speaking rapidly in Japanese was a bit intimidating, although she looked happy when the man dumped a ten dollar tip on the table. Anzu sighed with annoyance when she saw it. Was he over tipping out of generosity or to make some stupid point? She wasn't quite sure.

Getting up from the table, Anzu grabbed her purse and prepared to leave. She couldn't believe Kaiba and just how ridiculous he was. It almost felt like he was doing it as punishment, but she knew that really wasn't the case. He did care about her, or else Kaiba would have never gone and seen her. But Anzu just couldn't understand why he insisted on acting so pissy when she thought they had come to some understanding.

"Anzu, I do want to see you today, until I have to go. I might not be acting like it to you, but I do. My hotel room's close by, and I want you to come to the conference."

"If you want me to go, I guess I will… only if you'll tell me what's going on."

Kaiba sighed heavily, before rolling his eyes and heading towards the door. Although his expression was sour, he did stay right next to Anzu as he left the restaurant, not straying from her side. He even opened the door for her, never uttering a word until they reached the hotel some six blocks away.

The hotel was right next to the large convention center, one of many large chains that clustered right next to the business hub. Kaiba's was a presidential suite at the Hyatt, and Anzu found the place very interesting. Its foyer was full of Japanese people, probably from Kaiba Corp by the looks of things. They all glanced at Kaiba as he strolled by, and Anzu thought she saw Ms. Sasaki there, but she wasn't quite sure. No one tried talking to them as they headed towards the elevators anyways.

When they finally reached the top floor and Kaiba found his room, Anzu was pleasantly surprised by the furnishings. Everything was new and modern, with large living room windows for a view of the city. There was a full kitchen and several televisions all over, as well as other neat features she had never seen before in a single hotel room. Venturing inside the bathroom, she found a shower and four jet bath tub, along with a sauna and hot tub in the room.

"Why did you get a room like this when you knew you wouldn't be using all of these things?"

"I didn't book it, my secretary did. And who knows why she does the things she does."

"Have you used the sauna yet?'

"No."

"You should, Kaiba. It would be good for you."

Smirking, Anzu continued to look around until she reached the master bedroom. It had the best view, and she pulled back the curtains to look at the city scape, wishing her room had something similar to offer. The bridge and the ocean was all there, and it made her envious. Looking back at Kaiba, who stood by the door frame watch her, she shrugged and sat on the king sized bed behind her. The mattress was a temurpedic and it felt amazing compared to the one at her own apartment.

"Kaiba," Anzu started, trying to be very delicate with her approach, "are you acting out because we had sex last night?"

He just stared at her blankly for the longest time. There was no expression on his face, and she almost thought for a second that he hadn't heard her. But Anzu knew that he had, because after a good minute the man sighed and looked out towards the window before slumping his shoulders and leaning against the door frame like he didn't intend on entering the room completely.

"I said already I didn't want to talk about it."

"I don't care, Kaiba, if you don't want to talk about it. We are going to, because something's eating at you and it won't go away until we do. If you want me to have anything to do with you, you'll learn how to communicate with me, because that's the only way this thing we have here will work out. You can't pretend like you don't have feelings, and I can't pretend like I know what all of them are. It's not fair."

"Yeah well, it's not fair that I have to put myself out there for you all the time either, Anzu."

"What are you talking about?"

"You're always asking me about my feelings, but what about yours?"

"What about mine? You never really asked. If you had, I would have been honest with you Kaiba, I have nothing to hide."

"Then tell me Anzu, do you love me?"

That question came completely out of nowhere. It stunned her that he'd be asking her something like that, and she couldn't think of anything for a while to say because she honestly didn't know the answer to that. Love was a strong word. At one point in her life, she thought she knew what it entailed, but not anymore. Anzu knew better, and looking at Kaiba, she tried to give him the most honest reply.

"Love you? Kaiba, no… At least, I don't think so. I don't know, why would you ask me something like that?"

Then it quickly occurred to her.

"Kaiba…"

"Don't. Like I said before, I really don't want to talk about it. I wish you would have just let it go instead of pestering me with this feelings crap you know I hate. Why can't you leave things alone?"

"… Was this before or after?"

"Before."

"Dammit, why didn't you tell me?"

"Why should I have to?"

This made things more complicated than Anzu originally expected them to be... Far more complicated. She didn't know, it never occurred to her, because of everything that was going on. Kaiba never came off like that to her, and she couldn't even understand why he did. Anzu didn't think she was even all that likable, especially when she thought about how many times she got on his case and harassed him over things. How could he…

Kaiba broke her thoughts with one loud aspirated sigh, leaving his post near the door for a seat on the bed, although he wasn't anywhere close to Anzu. He sat at the very head of the mattress, his back against the head board and refused to look at the girl in front of him. She was staring out the window now, since she was at the foot of the bed and the view was right in front of her. Her mind was trying to process what he told her… Or more, what he didn't tell her and it just made things harder for them both.

"Do you still feel the same way, even after last night?" asked Anzu, fidgeting as she felt eyes on her.

"Yes."

"So nothing changed then?"

"In all for all intents and purposes, no. Nothing has changed."


	13. Chapter 13: Heart Burn

He didn't say anything for a long time. Sitting there with his back against the head board, Kaiba just stared at his crossed hands and swore inwardly. What the hell was he thinking by asking her that? What did he think he'd accomplish by that move? It was stupid and a mistake. Now she knew more than he cared for her to and Anzu had him backed into a corner.

She didn't love him. And how could she, when he thought about it? He wasn't a likable person. People avoided being around him outside of his own employees, and that was why he spent most of his days alone. No one chose to be around him if they could help it, and even his own brother was starting to disappear on him frequently. It just proved to Kaiba what he already knew since the beginning.

No one could love him, because he wasn't deserving of it.

Anzu was too good for him anyways. Sure, she might be a little interested in him for the time being, but it wouldn't last. She would go back home and entertain him for a while, but when someone better came along, she'd leave him. He wasn't worth her time, and Kaiba knew it. People like Anzu deserved only the best, and for once, Kaiba admitted to himself that he wasn't. Not in this particular situation.

"Kaiba?"

He could hear Anzu addressing him, but he didn't feel like answering. The silence was better than anything he could possibly say, so keeping his mouth shut, Kaiba did just that. She probably pitied him, out of some misguided sense of empathy. If only she felt bad enough for him to leave him the hell alone, he would have gotten over her words himself. Whatever thing she had to say, it wouldn't help him.

It wasn't fair either. Shit was always happening to Kaiba since the beginning, and it was never getting better. Everyone who said otherwise had lied to him. At least Anzu hadn't done that, she was at least honest with him. Maybe he was expecting something from her that was just never going to be there. The night before could have just been a fluke; Kaiba's mistake that wouldn't happen again because nothing was really there.

At least now he knew.

"Are you even listening to me?"

Anzu began crawling over to him, but she might as well have been addressing a mannequin. Kaiba's mind was somewhere else, and taking a seat on his outstretched legs, the girl forced him back to reality. His eyes looked down at her smooth thighs, but still he wouldn't say anything. Her proximity had his heart pound hard against his ribs, and his blood felt warm as it rushed through his veins, but his face would never give himself away. Even when she placed her hands on his shoulders, Kaiba kept his eyes away.

"What?" he snapped, looking up suddenly. He felt like a caged animal, as Anzu's eyes wouldn't stop staring at him.

"Kaiba listen. I didn't know you felt that way. Don't shut me out just yet. Really, I'm trying to understand you right now, and I don't want you doing this to me because I don't know what I'm feeling, you need to understand that. I'm just… confused."

"Confused over what? You said no without much hesitance, so I can't see how you'd be confused over _that_."

"Kaiba, you need to understand-"

"-I already do, you don't need to explain anything. You don't love me. Stop rubbing it in my face already."

"Do you honestly think I'm trying to hurt you?"

He didn't say anything. His mouth went shut and he looked towards the door, as if considering leaving. Anzu saw his eyes look there, and sighing, she shook her head.

"If you gave me a chance to explain myself, maybe you wouldn't hate me like you do right now. It's not like I haven't been burned before either."

"What would you know of it, Mazaki?"

"I've been rejected."

"Unlikely story, as if anyone couldn't-"

"-He didn't. I was in love with him for four years, and he never returned my feelings. Do you have any idea how horrible that felt? It wasn't even like this. He never had any feelings for me whatsoever. And I could never tell anyone, because it was so horribly wrong and I felt so guilty about the entire thing for years."

"What are you talking about?"

"If I tell you Kaiba, you can't tell anyone ever, do you understand me?"

"Yes."

Anzu sighed, and Kaiba got a feeling she was hoping that he'd say no. Her face was flushed and getting emotional once more, he thought she was on the verge of tears. Her body moved away from him, until she was sitting next to Kaiba, legs crossed and arms holding around them. Looking down at her, he thought she resembled a frightened teenager.

"… Other Yugi. The one who came out during duels and defeated you all those times, I was in love with him. He saved me and I couldn't stop myself from falling for him. It was so awful because I knew he didn't feel anything besides friendship for me. You have no idea how horrible it is, seeing a person every day and knowing you'll never have them."

"Yes, I do."

"No, you don't. Kaiba, I want to love you like I did him. Really, I do. But honestly, you scare me. You're the most difficult person I've ever met, and I don't know how to make you happy. It's like every time something good between us happens; you need to figure out a reason to be angry again. If I put everything into this, I don't know if I can keep you content being with me. I'm not sure if you're even capable of it. You seem so focused on being miserable, and I can't do that with you."

"I don't know how to be anything else. Did you ever think of that?"

"How could I, when you keep me in the dark?"

It was only to protect himself. She was capable of hurting him, and Kaiba had been burned too many times by people to freely allow them in. No one was ever going to disappoint him again like the others did, if he could help it. He'd never allow anyone to hurt him unless he got them first.

"… Will you just let me help you?"

"Why should I? So you can ridicule me one day when you've grown sick of my company and decide it would make a fun story to tell your old gang of losers next time you all meet up?"

"You don't trust me at all, and yet you wonder why I can't love you. How could you think I'd ever make light of any of this? Besides, I'd never tell my friends. It's the last thing in the world I want them knowing about."

"Embarrassed that you're sleeping with the man they hated?"

"More like it's none of their damn business and I don't want them involved. It has nothing to do with you. I really like you and I don't understand why you refuse to believe it. Kaiba, you're my closest friend right now, and I love you as a friend… but I just don't know if I can afford to go any further if you're just bent on being like this. I can't love someone who doesn't even love himself."

"But you'll love some dead Egyptian king who lives in a piece of jewelry, because that makes much more sense."

"Don't mock me. I thought I was in love with Yugi, but that wasn't the case."

"And did you ever tell him?"

"No. It would have broken his heart."

"But you had no problem telling me, Mazaki."

"Kaiba, I thought you wanted the truth. And honestly, I thought you were strong enough to handle it. Apparently I was wrong."

"There's nothing I can't handle-"

"-then act like it."

Going quiet, Kaiba scolded himself. He was acting like an immature teenager and it needed to stop. The man was better than that, and feeling bad for himself would get him nowhere. No wonder why Anzu didn't love him back. She would have to be won, like anything else worth having in life, and that meant being the kind of person who deserved to have her. Right now, he didn't deserve anything from the way he was behaving.

"… You're right, Anzu. I've been acting like a child, and there's no excuse for it. I'll get over it."

"You know, it's all right to show some emotion every once in a while."

He turned to look at her face, and found Anzu smiling at him. Sure, she had a few tear stains on her cheeks and her blue eyes were rimmed red, but she still looked beautiful. Then, before he knew what she was planning to do, she kissed him, holding his bottom lip for a second before releasing and setting her head on Kaiba's shoulder. Slightly taken aback, he just stared at her for a minute, before trying to move away."

"Don't."

He stayed put. Anzu's arm latched onto his and she pulled him towards her, until Kaiba was forced into slouching so they were right at each other's eye level. Then, sniffling some from the crying, she moved over one of his legs until she was sitting between them. She leaned her back into Kaiba's chest, and wasn't shy at all about grabbing his arms again, pulling him close while sighing against him.

Her hair smelled good.

"Kaiba, have you ever been close to anyone before?"

"Like this? No."

"Why not?"

"I just haven't."

"Well, I like this. You feel nice, and it makes me feel safe. And, I am sorry I just started crying like that. Really, I didn't mean to. You just need to understand I'm as new to this relationship thing as you are, and sometimes it overwhelms me."

"You've never had a boyfriend?"

"Besides you? No. It never occurred to me to try dating, and I always thought I'd meet some guy down the line who would sweep me off my feet. Ha. That never happened."

"Do you still want that?"

"No, not anymore. It was a childish fantasy and I realize that now. The things I wanted in high school aren't the things I want now, and I'm happy with what I got anyways. It's not perfect, and I'll have to work hard to keep it, but maybe if I try, it'll end up working out in the end."

Maybe there was hope for Kaiba after all.

"Also," asked Anzu, looking up at his face, "I have a question for you."

"What is it?

"Why can't I call you by your first name?"

Looking down at her, he met her gaze. "I never said you couldn't," he replied.

"But you never asked me to either. I hate calling you Kaiba, it sounds so… formal. You aren't just an acquaintance to me, and I want to use your first name."

"I don't know about that."

"It would make me really happy if you did."

"…Fine, go ahead then. Just don't do it in public."

"Of course not silly, I wouldn't dream of it."

"Don't call me silly."

She didn't reply after that, snorting to herself as Kaiba looked down at her once more. There was a slight grin on her face, and despite the remains of a few loose tears, Anzu appeared content once more. It was interesting, how her moods changed so frequently. He wouldn't call her moody, since usually it happened because of something he did, but she did have quite the temper. Anzu had no problem flaring up, and it quickly died down into a simmer when Kaiba said the right thing.

These were one of those times. Sure, he really didn't want his first name being used. Kaiba was what he was most comfortable with, and Mokuba was the only person who used it freely. One time that Ishtar woman called him by that too, and if it wasn't for the Obelisk card she had, he would have told her off. Casualness was disrespect in his eyes, and he didn't allow for it.

At least, not from people he didn't respect. If they weren't better or equal to him, then they didn't deserve the right to know him. That's how Kaiba felt about it, but Anzu wasn't his inferior. She was in all regards far better a person than he was, and she commonly made him feel like the inferior just by how strong she was in handling herself. Yes, she cried and got emotional, but the girl never backed down in a fight. And he had, several times when it came to their arguments.

Now it was just a matter of habit and comfort. Hearing another person use Seto would take getting used to, but he tried not to think much of it. His name was just a name, and Anzu asked to use it. Besides, he frequently called her Anzu, just like he called Mutou Yugi, and those were the only two people who he was familiar with in that context. Everyone else wasn't worth the time to know.

Or at least, that's how Kaiba felt about it.

It was the quiet times that made things hard for him. The feelings of comfort made his stomach tie into knots, and a part of him just wanted so desperately to move away. Anzu wasn't good for him, and he knew it. She was making him grow soft, and if Gozaburo was still alive, he would have never let Kaiba live it down. Becoming so attached to a girl, it was embarrassing. Someone in Kaiba's position wasn't supposed to act so weak.

But he couldn't help it. His body ignored his mind, and lying there with her against him, he closed his eyes as his brain began to wander. He thought about his brother, and how he was probably doing. Now he could understand why Mokuba liked the girls, but he didn't see what the girls saw in him. Although he loved him dearly, his younger brother was a rather arrogant teenager and Kaiba was beginning to see himself in the kid. Just thinking about it made him grin a little.

"Can I talk to you about something?" asked Anzu, looking up to meet Kaiba's eyes. She had a worried look on her face, and almost immediately the man's smirk faded away. Glancing briefly down at her, he looked away before answering, staring out at the window again.

"If you must."

"I just feel like I need to get this off my chest, or else it'll eat at me forever... It's about last night."

"What part of it?"

"All of it."

There was a heavy sigh as Kaiba let go of Anzu's waist, moving himself from her body as he laid himself down against the bed. Tired and now feeling slightly annoyed, he didn't feel like being close anymore. Not when the talk he'd been dreading was about to begin, and all those uncomfortable feelings would be brought out from the dark.

"Don't shut me out."

"I'm not."

He looked at her from the corner of his eyes, but remained where he was. Anzu only moved over to his side, before doing something she didn't expect from her. Before he could think to move away, her fingers were in his hair, massaging his scalp gently. It felt wonderful, and he couldn't do anything but lay there and enjoy the sensations. His head began to tingle with pleasure and he lacked the self-control to make her stop.

"You are. But I can't stop you from doing what you usually do. Kaiba... Seto, I know this isn't easy for you to hear about. It's not easy for me to talk about, but you need to hear it. I don't want you thinking that what happened between us was a mistake, because it wasn't... I'm getting the feeling that you still don't trust me, and I guess if I want you to, that means I'll need to put a little bit of myself out there for you, so I will.

I like you, and I still want you. Right now, I couldn't really imagine not wanting that again with you, because you've shown me a piece of yourself that no one else has ever seen. Maybe I'm being a little selfish for wanting that all to myself, but I can't help it. When you were with me, I felt so safe and you didn't close yourself off... It was a good feeling, and I just wish you felt the same.

Or maybe you do, but you won't tell me."

The words took a little time to sink in, but Kaiba was listening to her. He wouldn't look Anzu in the face, but all attention was on her and he didn't say anything out of fear of blabbing out something stupid. She was making him feel too emotional and he didn't want her seeing that side of him. It made him feel weak, and closing his eyes, he hoped inwardly that she'd say more.

"You confuse me sometimes Seto, so much," sighed Anzu, who was still playing through his hair as he remained on top of the bed unmoving, "and I sincerely hope that one day I'll be able to understand you. Do you have any idea how much I want to make this easier on you?"

He gave her a doubtful look, before staring back outside the window. There was still the convention to get to, and he didn't feel like moving. All Kaiba wanted to do was fall asleep as the woman next to him continued to make his scalp tingle, feeling a overwhelming sense of calm fall upon him. It made her words far more bearable, but he still didn't want to say anything. Not when he felt so naked to her.

"I do. And I want to understand you better, so we wouldn't always be fighting like before. I also want to be able to talk to you and not have this wall between me and your feelings. I'm not trying to use you, Seto. Really, I'm not."

"Everyone is trying to."

"Why would you think that about me?"

Kaiba didn't have a reason to think that, but he certainly didn't feel like exposing himself to her anytime soon again. It was too much, for the both of them. Although he didn't regret it, he began to wonder if it was the right thing to do. She saw him and felt him in ways he wouldn't allow anyone else to experience, and now hiding himself from her was near impossible. Anzu knew him better, and he couldn't do much about it.

It didn't feel fair to him either. Wasn't he usually the one calling all the shots? How could he let her take control so easily without more resistance? How could he let his emotions get the best of him, and have become some slave to a girl who was only planning on leaving him when better opportunities arose? She wanted to dance... More importantly, Anzu wanted her freedom and he knew that meant that one day, she'd leave him for it. He wasn't worth the sacrifice.

"It's not personal Anzu. But experience has taught me enough to know that no one will ever accept me. They want something for the time being, but I'll be cast off when they've gotten their fill."

"Why would I throw our friendship away?

"I'm not worth the trouble of dealing with."

"Seto, I don't "deal" with you. You're my friend. I like being with you, because it makes me feel happy. Even last night, I had sex with you because I wanted that with you. God, I don't get why you refuse to see that? I like you. There's nothing I want from you, but your friendship and trust. If you'd just open up your heart and give me a chance, I could prove that to you. I'm not your enemy."

There was no reply. Kaiba just groaned in frustration, putting his arms over his head to stop Anzu's petting. Shutting his eyes, he hoped she'd just give up on him and leave. But feeling fingers against his forearm, he knew she didn't plan on doing that anytime soon.

"Do you know what I loved most about last night?" she asked.

"No, I don't."

"It wasn't reaching climax. I felt that, and it was wonderful too, but not as much as this other thing."

"… Then what was it?"

Gently Anzu pulled Kaiba's arms away, until he was exposed to her again. And smiling a little, she started playing with his hair again, watching when he looked back up at her. He saw how relaxed she appeared, being next to him, and it couldn't have been forced. She looked too content, like Anzu did years past when she was with her band of loser friends.

"What I loved best was being vulnerable to you, Seto. Even though it wasn't comfortable at first, you worked with me and I knew at that point that you did care. You didn't use me like most people would have, and you made me feel so safe. It was like nothing bad could have happened to me, because you were right there."

Sighing one last time, Anzu ruffled Kaiba's hair before getting up and off the bed. He watched as she slid off, turning his body around to see her more clearly. There was a strange expression on her face, like she didn't even know what to make of her own words. She seemed shocked by her own honesty, while Kaiba didn't know what to make of it.

"Anzu, where are you going?"

"Nowhere."

It didn't seem like that. She was now leaning against the door frame, looking out the window. Maybe she had said more than she wanted, because Kaiba knew the feeling. Looking up at her eyes, he could see that she wasn't hiding anything from him. It was that rawness of feeling he saw before, when they were together. And just like before, she didn't seem too keen on being studied for too long, either. Her face was looking away from him, but her large blue eyes were still visible.

"I- I just needed to tell you that," said Anzu, turning her face to look at Kaiba finally after a long pause, "so maybe you'd trust me."

"I understand."

"Good… I don't want to be trapped in this hotel room any longer. Let's go out, I'll take you around town before we need to go to that convention. Besides, that hot chocolate is making me all jumpy and I need to burn the sugar off."

"Fine, I'll get up."

Smirking, Kaiba got off the bed and quickly left the room, following behind an enthusiastic Anzu. He felt much better about the whole situation, knowing Anzu wasn't his enemy. In her own emotional way, she really was trying to help him. He just needed to learn how to trust again.

She was worth the risk.


	14. Chapter 14: Mexican

This was only proof read by me, so I apologize for any grammar or spelling errors that may have occurred. Also, I appreciate all the reviews and please keep them coming. They help me keep this story on track. Enjoy!

* * *

><p>Central park was one of those beautiful places that couldn't be missed on a trip to New York. Luckily for Anzu, she had gone there twice before, being taken by friends who were planning on boyfriend hunting amongst the half-naked male joggers who ran by. Although many different men came across Anzu and asked her out for dates, she couldn't accept them. Somewhere in her heart she knew it wasn't quite right, and turning each perspective male down, her mind wandered over the man she'd left home.<p>

Now they were side by side, Kaiba looking rather out of place amongst the crowds of people. Despite looking so much like the Americans, there was something about the way he stood that gave himself away as a foreigner. When bikers came by, he didn't make way but practically dared them with his eyes to run him over. It was like a constant game of chicken, the bicyclists moving out of his way as he walked along the gravel path. Kaiba was so bad; he scared a man on a skateboard into almost running into a tree.

Anzu didn't pay him too much attention though. She had a place to find and it was at least a mile's walk away. The crowds of people didn't really appeal to her either and she wanted somewhere quiet to talk. It wasn't like she often got a chance to do anything with Kaiba outside of her apartment or some restaurant. This was special, and she hoped he'd find it at least somewhat entertaining. There were food vendors everywhere, and feeling slightly peckish, she looked around for something interesting to nibble on.

"I've never tried that before…"

Stopping right in the road, she turned her head to look at the man selling fish tacos out of his trailer. People were lining up for them, and assuming Kaiba saw it too, Anzu got in line. Trying to look over the shoulders of the customers in front of her, she got one good look at the food, her stomach beginning to rumble at the thought to having one. The corn tortilla was covered with white fish, cilantro, and some white sauce she couldn't make out. It looked divine.

"Anzu?"

Kaiba had turned around finding Anzu no longer by his side. Looking behind him, he spotted her standing in line on her tippy toes like some kid. Sighing, he turned around to join, taking a spot next to her while crossing his arms. It wasn't a big deal, but he made it out to be, slouching his shoulders like a pissed off teenager. Visibly sulking, he stood directly behind Anzu and waited.

Anzu could smell Kaiba's cologne, and when she turned her head, the girl nearly jumped out of her skin. He was standing right behind her, like a second shadow. She didn't hear him even walk in behind her. For someone so tall and noticeable, the man was great at sneaking up on people. It was like that night in Domino Park again. He'd done the same thing, following behind for several minutes before bothering to make his presence known. It made Anzu jumpy.

"Jerk," she said while placing her hands on her hips, "you need to start announcing yourself before you just surprise me like that." Her face was tight and her lips were pursed, Anzu's face becoming flushed as she fumed. That look of aggravation would have intimidated most men, but Kaiba just grinned at her.

"And miss out on your "graceful" reactions at being spooked? I think not."

She didn't like that grin he was giving her. Turning her back towards him again, Anzu folded her arms and stared at the trailer in front of her. The people all around were speaking rapid English, along with some pockets of Spanish. It was frustrating, not being able to communicate with people like before. Sure, she had Kaiba, but he was only one person, and a very anti-social one at that. He was perfectly fine with just talking to her.

Glancing at a band of teenagers, Anzu frowned a little. There was a short young girl, with a handful of guys there, all surrounding themselves near an ice cream stand. The youngest looking guy had on a hat with a pyramid on it, while the blond kid had a cartoon of cigarettes in his hands. They were all laughing over something, and it just made the aching in Anzu's heart begin to rise. Turning around, she tried to focus her attention on other things.

"I can't see how you're hungry already," started Kaiba, who over looked the teenagers. He didn't seem interested in the people around him, despite understanding their conversations as well as any native. Maybe it was the snob in him, but he just didn't care about any of it.

"If you don't want food, you don't have to have any," snapped Anzu.

"I won't. The fish looks questionable and I bet you ten thousand yen that shit will cut through your stomach."

"Doubt it," she replied, rolling her eyes, "if it was giving people food poisoning, no one would be eating this still."

"Fine then. Your funeral."

Kaiba was becoming irritating. In some ways he reminded her of Jonouchi, in how he could be. Although the duelist was usually pretty good natured around her, there was a time when the blond was a complete asshole. Everything that came out of his mouth was perverted or mean spirited, and Anzu wanted nothing more than to slap the grin right off his smirking face. Now an even more challenging guy had taken his place.

Yet, she was drawn to him.

"You know what Kaiba; maybe you shouldn't be such a damn wimp and actually try this with me. One little taco isn't going to kill you."

"No thanks, I'm not interested."

"I guess you're scared then."

He was so easily to bait. As soon as Anzu said that, his face went red and his eyes got narrow. It made her snort in amusement, and eyeing the man down, she didn't back off from the possible staring contest. Sure, Kaiba was intimidating, but in most moments like these she couldn't take him too seriously. His reactions were getting more predictable and he was so easily offended.

"I don't get scared Anzu," he shoot back, "and I don't want your dirty street tacos."

She answered while grinning up at him. "Then you must be scared."

"I'm not."

"Are too."

"Fine… I'll try one. But just one. If I end up throwing up all night from food poisoning, you get to clean it up."

Once again Anzu rolled her eyes while walking up to the counter to order her food. The line had died down while they argued, no one having a possible clue what it was about. Just like at the diner, they were bickering in Japanese, which caused a few heads to turn as Anzu got more animated. It was really something to watch, especially when Kaiba started going in and out of between English and Japanese. He wasn't even aware he was doing it.

"I swear," Whispered the man, "If this makes me sick during my conference-"

"Kaiba, you'll be fine."

It didn't take too long to ask for what she wanted. After ordering the food, the cook shuffled a little in the trailer before reappearing with two trays full of tacos. The tortillas had cod fillets covered in a zesty yogurt white sauce and cabbage pieces, along with cilantro. There wasn't any cheese on them, or anything else strange, and after taking them Anzu got back on the path towards the private place she knew about. Absentmindedly she passed one to Kaiba, who luckily grabbed it before she could drop the entire thing on the ground.

"I'm not eating all of this."

"Don't be such a baby, it won't kill you."

Kaiba frowned, following behind her like a loyal dog. "I'm not even hungry."

"Then I'll eat it."

Taking out one taco, she stuffed it into her mouth. The flavors were spicy yet creamy, a strange sort of heat that came over slow as the delicate fish fell apart in her mouth. It was nothing like the food at home, yet Anzu loved it. Street vendors in Japan had their own rendition of "Mexican" tacos, and it was nothing like that she was experiencing. Having another bite, Kaiba raised an eye brow as he watched her chew.

"It's good, you're missing out," she teased, going for her second one.

He didn't say anything. Glancing at him from the corner of her eyes, Anzu tried to make out what he was thinking by his expression. From what she could see, he was looking at her, although trying very hard to not appear obvious about it. Kaiba was a very good actor and Anzu knew he'd keep his distance as long as they were in public together. She found it slightly bothersome, not being able to enjoy him like she could if she was with someone else, but it wasn't worth fretting over. Life was full of trade-offs.

They were getting closer to her destination anyways. People were starting to thin out, and leaving the gravel trail, Anzu cut through the grass into the woods. Thankfully for her she was wearing gym shoes, although the tall grass and bushes scratched her bare legs as she crossed. A smart girl would have worn pants, but Anzu enjoyed the challenge. As long as no bee snuck up and stung her, she would manage.

Kaiba didn't seem too thrilled about it, though. He grumbled as his pants collected pollen, looking slightly dirty now that his Armani dress pants were covered in twigs and leaves. At least he wasn't wearing the expensive leather anymore. That would have been a personal tragedy.

"Where are we going?"

"To a place I know," responded Anzu, "be patient."

"I am being patient…"

His pants would survive. Besides, it was Kaiba's fault for dressing so well everywhere he went, and he probably had a change of clothes waiting for him at the convention. He'd be fine for the cameras, and everyone would get to see their favorite CEO all perfect for his speech. Anzu would never sabotage him, knowing how important his image was to him. In a strange way the Kaiba Corporation was like his child, and Anzu was wise enough to know what happened to people who got between parents and their children.

Thinking about it made her self-conscious about her own clothes. Dark jean shorts, a tank, and gym shoes wouldn't be enough for the event, especially if he planned on having her near him like at the party. Kaiba Corporation's anniversary dinner required more socializing than Anzu had originally anticipated on. Being so young, she didn't have much experience with it, but somehow she managed, mostly by luck and alcohol-induced charm.

"We're really close now Kaiba, so don't think I'm just trying to get us lost. I actually know where I'm going."

"Well that's a relief."

There wasn't anyone around anymore. It was quiet, and looking up at the tree tops, Anzu couldn't even make out the sky scrapers anymore. They could have been anywhere. She could only imagine what the rest of the United States looked like, but she wanted to see it. Were the woods the same everywhere? Surrounding them stood oaks, pines, maples, birches, and other species both new to her and different. Passing a familiar elm tree, Anzu knew she was almost there.

Trudging on, she looked behind at her companion. Kaiba was staring at the ground, trying to avoid stepping in mud. He was wearing the wrong sort of shoes as well as pants, the fancy leather getting muddy as they cut through the undergrowth. Leaves covered the ground, hiding pockets of thick mud that just loved sticking to them, and it made Anzu feel slightly guilty for taking him off the beaten path. No doubt his shoes were expensive and their little excursion had probably ruined them.

"How much longer?" Kaiba asked from behind, looking disgusted.

"No much."

There was a break in the trees, and crossing through it, the pair found themselves by the edge of a pond. Looking around, Anzu couldn't find any people around, so she placed the food down and took a seat against the trunk of a tree. She didn't care too much about getting her shorts dirty but since the grass was right under the sun, it wasn't all that wet anyways. Relaxing, she took another taco and handed it to Kaiba.

"Try it."

He just stared at it before sitting down next to her, leaning back against the same trunk so he could take it into his own hands. It wasn't all that warm anymore, but it still smelled spicy and appetizing. Then, after being stared down by Anzu for several seconds, he rolled his eyes and took a bite. His expression was hard to read, but the girl noticed the corner of his lips rising as he began chewing it.

"See Kaiba, I knew you'd like it," teased Anzu, "I don't get why you needed to be so damn stubborn about trying it."

"It was much better than I thought it would be."

Of course he'd give out a lame answer like that. Ignoring him, Anzu turned her attention back towards the pond. The water was so clear and she could spot some fish in it coming up to the surface for food. They didn't look like the beautiful koi she admired back at home, but it gave the place a more natural feel.

Along with the fish were several ducks and geese, all on the water with their babies, and the sounds of frogs that were hiding in the reeds. Unfortunately for Anzu, she knew very little about animals. Her parents never allowed her to have a pet and because of her schooling, the only thing she could have was a betta fish. Even that was still at home in Japan, being cared for by Ryou. Hopefully he hadn't killed it yet…

Ryou. She missed her friend. Thinking about him made her wonder how he was doing, it being months since she'd last talked to him. It was about time to make at least one call to see how he was doing. Besides, Anzu needed someone trustworthy to talk to about other things, and she didn't have any girl friends to talk to about it. The only person she could even think of discussing her little secret with was Ryou.

And he was all the way in Japan still. It made things hard, and furrowing her eye brows, Anzu tried to come up with a plan. Maybe that night she could try getting a hold of him, since she doubted that Kaiba planned on staying over again that night. He looked pretty irritated with her after having his clothes ruined, and there was also his conference. They didn't have much time before they'd need to get there and events like that were always draining.

However, a small piece of her wanted to stay with him. It was nice having someone to sleep next to. Even if the man snored, his body was warm and it put Anzu at ease not being alone in the apartment. At home she was used to it, but in New York it was different. Her roommate had bailed and even though she was only going to stay for one more month, it was expensive. If she hadn't been saving her tips for the last four years, Anzu would have been forced to the dormitories. Luckily, her finances ended up working out.

Soon, however, Anzu would be broke again.

"… I want to take you out for dinner tonight," said Kaiba, still staring at his half eaten taco. "I've taken you out before, but I don't think I've ever really asked…"

"No, you didn't. If I remember correctly, you just told me to show up somewhere and expected me to arrive," replied Anzu, still staring at the water. "If I had any sense, I would have stood you up."

"But you didn't."

"No, I didn't… I'll have dinner with you. What did you have in mind?"

"Some restaurant in the old meat packing district that my head accountant told me about where they serve Kobe beef. I don't know if you've ever tried it before, but it's something you'll never forget, I guarantee it."

"We'll see about that," said Anzu, smirking slightly. "When exactly does your conference end?"

"I only need to be there until seven. Then I can go disappear somewhere and no one will care too much about it. Although I have a speech to deliver, I'm not actually running this show. My head of product development is taking care of this. They only brought me here to show my support, so to speak."

"And do they have it?"

"Yes," answered Kaiba, "but I find this whole situation slightly frustrating. This is the second damn time I've brought this idea up to the board of directors, although these people are different from the last guys who used to be around. My shareholders had them replaced."

"Are you talking about those assholes that trapped us in the virtual world?"

"Yes, those idiots."

"Ugh… How did they get the job in the first place?" she asked, finally turning around to face Kaiba. He wasn't looking at her, but that didn't bother Anzu in the least. It was actually nice just admiring him without his eyes staring at her. Sometimes steady eye contact just made her feel slightly self-conscious.

"The company was different before I took over. But after that incident with the virtual world, my shareholders voted almost unanimously for an entire new board of directors. Unfortunately I didn't have enough time to push for my own people in those positions, but the new board members aren't too bad. They're like puppets actually, and as long as I keep them happy, they'll do whatever I want."

"And why's that?"

"Because I'm their chairman. I hold the most authority, and right now they couldn't fire me even if they wanted to. There would be a mutiny. So as long as this continues, I'm safe."

It all sounded complicated to Anzu, and if Kaiba went on with it any further, she was sure everything he would tell her would go way over her head. Business didn't interest her. Although she took a basic class in high school and passed it with flying colors, all understanding of the material went out the window once the exams were finished. The complex dynamics between executives and shareholders in corporations just didn't compute with her.

But Kaiba didn't seem interested in continuing. He started talking more about the actual technology he was developing, which was much more understandable. Anzu had experienced something similar to it once before, although it wasn't one of Kaiba's designs. During her entrapment inside Noah's world, she learned what it was like to be tricked into another reality.

Hell, she could remember seeing Kaiba's digital twin. It had scared the living crap out of her when he appeared out of nowhere, wearing the same clothes from the year before. Glancing at Kaiba, she wondered if he still remembered that or if he was too distracted then to have noticed. He had told her it was a copycat of himself, but maybe he was just saying that in general. Before a few months ago, he never really paid her any attention.

"In this virtual world," asked Anzu, still looking at Kaiba's face, "did you create any doubles of yourself?"

"A bunch of lookalike Seto Kaiba's running around in my own gaming system? No. I'm not that egoistical, despite what you all would like to believe."

"What about Mokuba?"

"Not this last time. I don't think he liked it so much when I turned him into a girl, so I didn't bother with him during my latest project. He told me it wasn't funny and if I ever did that again, he'd hack the system and make a female version of me."

"And you think he would, Kaiba?"

"I don't know, but he's smart and I'm not taking any chances…"

"Scared of your own little brother…"

She heard a snort, which Anzu took for indifference on Kaiba's part, but she couldn't help but laugh at that. It made her want to see him again. Mokuba probably wasn't the same spunky eleven year old she knew years ago, but it would be a treat to see him again. However, she knew how touchy Kaiba was about his personal life. He could take offense to her asking about him too much, since the man liked his secrets. Deciding to wait on asking later, Anzu just smiled at the thought.

"Not scared, per say," remarked Kaiba, rolling his eyes, "I just know better than to under estimate a Kaiba, even if he's younger than me."

"He's that smart?"

"Mokuba gets the top grade point average at his school and has the highest test scores. He's just… unmotivated to do anything with me at Kaiba Corp. Or maybe he is, but I threaten him. I'm not quite sure exactly, but he just never hangs around my office or does much of anything with me like he used to."

Listening quietly, Anzu took Kaiba's taco out of his hands. She didn't think he'd notice. "Well when I was his age, I always felt challenged by my older sister. She was the smart one who got into med school, and I never got as much attention as she did. You have to understand, everyone knows that you're a genius. That's a hard thing to live up to."

"I'm no genius; I just see what others don't pay enough attention to…" said Kaiba, still unaware of his missing lunch. "And I know how much potential he has. I don't see why he'd feel the need to hide that fact because of something as silly as feeling inferior."

"He's your brother; he doesn't want to disappoint you. Also, he's a teenage boy. You should remember still what that time was like."

"I try not to reminisce."

Kaiba turned to look at Anzu just when she stuffed her mouth full of taco, his eyes narrowing slightly when he noticed that it was his. She didn't care though, grinning at him cheekily before giving a slight moan of pleasure. Getting a rather disgruntled look back with a small trace of embarrassment, Anzu swallowed the food and turned her attention back towards the water. It was getting late, and soon they'd have to leave.

"I'm going to miss New York when I go back home," said Anzu, talking more out loud than directly to Kaiba. "I wish I didn't have to leave so soon."

The man next to her said nothing. His eyes just looked away and knowing just how he felt, Anzu didn't say anything more about it. She didn't want to leave him in the first place. But if she had stayed home and continued as she was, her life would have been like everyone else's. Go to college. Work a job. Get a boyfriend. Her parents would have no doubt approved of it, but Anzu didn't. She couldn't.

Hopefully Kaiba understood that. Looking one last time at him before standing up, she wondered if maybe it would be best to talk to him about it. He was staring away off into space, and it seemed too cruel to remind him that she couldn't be his. That something else would always be in the way, even if she could allow herself to love him. Anzu's mother had always told her that life was full of tradeoffs, and this was clearly one of them.

But watching Kaiba rise up, Anzu began to question that for the first time. He had smiled briefly at the water before turning around, heading back towards the main trail. If she hadn't been paying some attention to him, she would have missed it. Kaiba rarely ever smiled, but when he did, it was pure. It was in his eyes, and following behind to catch up, Anzu tried making sense out of it. For the first time it occurred to her that maybe ballet wasn't the only thing she wanted. Maybe ballet wasn't worth giving him up.


	15. Chapter 15: French II

Turning his back on the applauding crowd, Kaiba felt the adrenaline in his body begin to die down. It was a rush, speaking in front of such a huge stadium full of people in a language that wasn't naturally his own. He had to think hard about what he wanted to say, and it was actually challenging for once to come up with the right words. Although a genius with numbers, he was no wordsmith, and it took many long hours at home deleting file after file of word documents before he came up with the right thing to say.

It had been perfect. Walking off the stage, he knew that his work was done and soon he'd be back in Japan, ready to start the project. His stock holders couldn't say he was lacking the proper support for such an aggressive campaign, and feeling on top of the world, he wondered in the back of his mind where Anzu was.

She had to be in the crowd somewhere. It wasn't exactly easy to get her seats to the conference in so little time, but Kaiba utilized the perks of his position when it suited him. e He found the right people to harass while changing into his clothes for public viewing, calling several supervisors to handle the situation. While kicking off the ruined leather shoes that Anzu destroyed while leading him into a mud filled pond, he made sure she got a seat to watch him.

Now he was very anxious to find her. This had to be what she felt every time she got on stage for ballet. It wasn't like Kaiba wasn't used to the lime light, but it was different in the United States. People appreciated a show. They adored watching successful people entice them with shiny new things and weren't put off by Kaiba's opulence. There was no shame in wearing finely tailored suits or driving expensive cars through town, and feeling more accepted there than in his city of Domino, he felt an odd sense of being at home there.

However, the spot light didn't last. It wasn't really his show, and after turning over the attention to one of his executives, he took a seat in the back stage to watch the rest. Someone handed him a water bottle, and after unscrewing the top and putting the plastic to his lips, he hardly noticed how much he drank until he was out of breath and noticed that the container was half empty.

"Excellent speech Mr. Kaiba!" called out a passing stranger, the man grabbing Kaiba's shoulder before squeezing it and letting go. There was a broad smile across his face, and by the way he showed his over enthusiasm, Kaiba knew he had to be an American.

Kaiba didn't respond to the man although he did turn to watch him walk away. Sitting there out in the open back behind the stage, he was greeted by six more people before finally getting up and going down the hall for some peace. Everyone was scattered around, and after finding a private dressing room to relax in, he took a seat in front of the mirror and stared into it.

Everything was finally going according to plan. His business was going to explode soon, despite the reluctance of support by his board, and soon Kaiba Corp would out shine everyone. No one could over look his power in business, even if he didn't have a main office in Tokyo or have gaming consoles like traditional companies did. He wasn't trying to be another Microsoft, who just barely scratched the surface in computer graphics.

Holograms were the future. Ever since creating that first duel disk some five or six years ago, Kaiba knew it would be the hallmark of his company. People would remember him for decades to come for creating something so seamless, and if he could just built upon that further, he'd be unforgettable. Wow would pass up the opportunity of being in another world, feeling and experiencing everything as if in a dream, only clearer and completely lucid? It would shock the world what Kaiba had in store for them.

And taking a hand to his hair, he messed it up a little before watching the door behind him open, slightly surprised to find a familiar figure standing right behind him. No longer wearing long hair but still appearing somewhat untamed, his teenage brother was smirking at him with his arms folded. He didn't say anything, but Kaiba was nonetheless surprised to see him since the kid never voiced out any intentions over coming to New York.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, eyes narrowing as he turned his head over his shoulder to look at Mokuba.

"I wanted to see your speech. Virtual technology was always important to you, and I wasn't going to willingly pass up the opportunity to watch you show off."

"You could have called first Mokuba before just showing up. I don't like surprises."

The younger male just laughed him off, taking a seat next to his brother before looking at himself briefly in the mirror. He had the same black hair, although much shorter now and styled in a way that didn't look so disheveled like he did as a kid. In a lot of ways, he looked like his father and Kaiba found it slightly unsettling, watching the boy who never really knew the man who he took so much after.

"Seto, just admit already that you're happy to see me. It's not like you have plans or anything that I'm keeping you from," said Mokuba, looking back at Kaiba with a wide smirk on his face, "and I know you'd just end up locking yourself in your hotel room if I hadn't of come."

"I'm not that pathetic, Mokuba."

"Yes you are."

Even if he was an annoying know-it-all, the older man was genuinely happy to see him again. In his mind, Mokuba would always be a kid, despite being almost Jonouchi's size in height and having a far more developed voice now that he was almost done with puberty. Looking at him, Kaiba wondered how it just all happened so quickly, like he'd just grown up while his back turned, but maybe that's how parents felt about their kids. It was a strange feeling for him.

"I still wish you would have alerted me that you were coming," he told Mokuba before getting up from his chair, "I'm actually busy tonight."

"You can reschedule your business dinners, Seto. You've done it in the past before."

"It's not a business dinner."

"Then what? Do you schedule in brooding time for yourself now?"

"No… And you're not funny."

He didn't think it was funny either when Mokuba jumped off his chair with a grin on his face, but Kaiba ignored it. The dressing room was no longer peaceful, and opening the door to leave, he thought about how to deal with the situation that presented itself. Now that his brother had returned, he couldn't very well go and have dinner with Anzu as planned.

Priorities. His brother came first, if only now to keep the peace. He didn't want to explain his relationship to him, or have Anzu trying to meet up with him so quickly. It would only result in becoming a major hiccup in his life since he was still trying to figure out in his head what he wanted with the relationship he had only officially started that morning.

"Seto, why can't I come to this dinner? Don't tell me you've finally managed to-"

"I'll cancel it, since you seem so adamant about seeing me tonight. Consider yourself lucky that I still like you enough to do this sort of shit for you. Next time you want to see me, ask. I'm not at your beck and call, Mokuba."

"I know that, I just thought you'd be excited to see me…" His voice was trailing off and looking back at the teenager, Kaiba noticed his far off gaze. He couldn't tell if he was actually upset or just faking. Mokuba was a fantastic actor.

"And I am," he replied, still keeping a collected face, "but I need to know ahead of time so I don't make conflicting plans."

"You never had plans in the past outside of work."

"Things change."

"Oh, I know they do," said Mokuba, smirking some as he followed behind his brother, cutting through the crowd, "I tried surprising you at your hotel room last night, and you weren't there. I wonder why."

"That's really none of your business."

And Kaiba hoped that would be the end of that conversation. It was hard playing parental figure and sibling to someone five years his junior… someone as smart as he was, but with better social skills. Like it or not, Mokuba was just as able as he was and could easily milk what he wanted out of people, including his own older brother. For this reason, Kaiba became more wary of him as the teenager grew older.

"I'm happy for you though, big bro," continued Mokuba, "I didn't want to end up finally beating you at something like losing your V card. Now that would be an embarrassing defeat, don't you think?"

"When did you become so insufferable, Mokuba? Was that before or after your voice finally stopped cracking?"

"I learned how from the best."

Narrowing his eyes again, Kaiba said nothing more. He didn't even want to give up his previous arrangements for his younger sibling anymore, but he would. It was the right thing to do and no matter what kind of attitude he got from Mokuba, his first responsibility was always to him. Although his hired body guards kept him out of trouble and his tutors instilled the best education into him¸ there was a lot that only he could do for him. Certain things could only be handled amongst family, and having accepted that years ago, Kaiba didn't slack from his duties.

"Since you're so desperate for my attention tonight, I'll be seeing you after this convention is over at my hotel room. We can talk then, but right now I have some things to take care of. And it would be better for both our sakes if you'd just find something else to amuse yourself with until I'm done."

"If that's that you want, Seto."

Kaiba gave Mokuba a funny look, watching the seventeen year old disappear into the crowd before exhaling a long sigh. Teenagers were exhausting. He used to think that Mokuba would be easy because they were so close, but then looking back on himself, he realized that would not be the case. Being smart and clever, the boy would fight against authority like his older brother had. His mouth would get him into trouble, but all things come in phases and it wouldn't last.

Hopefully.

"Kaiba, I was looking all over for you!"

Turning around, he was expecting to find someone from the convention, but to his surprise came, Anzu smiling broadly at the sight of him. He hoped she hadn't seen Mokuba, because that would just result in questions he didn't feel like answering, but she didn't appear aware of his presence. Thankfully.

"… Are you okay?" asked Anzu, who folded her arms against her chest while giving him a funny look, "you look worried about something."

"I'm not. Unfortunately though I'm gonna have to place a rain check on that dinner of ours. Something came up and I can't exactly put it off tonight, but we can try again tomorrow if you'd like."

"Yeah, that's fine," replied Anzu, sounding a little bit disappointed, "I'm pretty tired anyways."

"If it wasn't important-"

"-I completely understand. Don't worry about me. I'll see you tomorrow then Kaiba. Call me when you have a time for us to meet up, okay?"

"I'll come pick you up."

"Of course."

* * *

><p>For the rest of the day, Kaiba felt very shitty about the situation. Leaving Anzu high and dry was not his intention, especially since the two hadn't really gone out together for dinner formally in months. It would have been their first real date. And Mokuba ruined it.<p>

Grumbling, he forced himself into the limousine hired out for him and waited to be dropped off again at his hotel. Mokuba would probably appear sometime that night, late, as he usually did whenever they made plans. He didn't know why his brother didn't bother to be punctual, but maybe that had something to do with being a rebellious teenager. Kaiba never had the chance to enjoy that sort of irresponsibility, so the concept of just dicking around was foreign to him.

Mokuba was certainly enjoying the adolescence he never had. He couldn't help but be a little jealous of him, wandering how differently he would have come out if he only had the same opportunities as a teenager. Would he had have friends? Kaiba didn't know. Even before Gozaburo, he didn't really associate with too many of his peers. To put it quite frankly, he didn't like any of them.

Until now. And it bugged him how he wouldn't be seeing her despite having Anzu's full attention all morning. He had no right to be upset over it, but still. It had been a long separation and he still wanted her company. But it would have to wait.

Getting out of the car and walking into the hotel, he realized that maybe Mokuba needed something from him. He had been too distant with everything that was going on, and even though his brother never asked for anything, that didn't mean he didn't need Kaiba either. Communication was so hard, and despite the acts of rebellion and the snarky attitude the younger Kaiba was displaying on occasion, he was still a good kid.

"And a pain in my ass…"

He had to stop himself from getting mad. Sure, Mokuba had ruined his plans, but he didn't know. And for him to keep ignorant of the whole thing, it needed to stay that way. His brother did not need to get nosey in his relationship… Especially since he liked Anzu. It would be awkward, trying to explain what happened between them when they could hardly stand each other in high school. Mokuba wouldn't get it.

Not that Kaiba really understood much of it himself. His attachment scared him a little, and walking into his hotel room, he found it comforting to just collapse on his bed and wait for his brother to come. It was already late afternoon and he would show up eventually, since Mokuba probably got a copy key to the hotel room from Isono. Head security always had one, and waiting for his few moments of real peace to end, Kaiba turned around to face the door.

* * *

><p>It wasn't until an hour later, after falling asleep on the mattress, did Mokuba creep in, surprised to find his older brother passed out on the couch. Walking over to him, he took a seat near his head and briefly touched his hair but said nothing. He made no attempt to wake him up, despite demanding the man's time just a few hours ago.<p>

Kaiba eventually woke up on his own. Mokuba was just sitting there staring at him, his violet eyes beginning to make him feel nervous. It was like he already knew something was up. And trying to avoid the look he was getting, he was pleasantly surprised to find a cart of food laid out before the bed, dinner for two set up with a simple carination between two covered plates.

"I ordered dinner, since you seemed grumpy at the conference and I know you get like that when you're hungry. Its filet mignon your favorite, with a French vingarette inspired salad and fresh pear slices. Since you like that sort of thing, I thought it would be best for dinner," explained Mokuba. "I'm sorry about ruining your plans, Seto."

"It's fine."

Getting up, Kaiba took the tray of food from the cart and left the silver top there, placing the plate on his lap. Cutting into the tender meat, he was pleased to find the middle still pink. It looked perfect. And taking a small slice to his mouth, it tasted good too. Kaiba didn't eat beef too often usually, but when he did, he liked to treat himself.

"What did you get?" asked Kaiba between bites, glancing over at his younger sibling as he went to get his own food.

"Stuffed chicken breast with vegetables. I didn't feel like going out tonight."

Grunting, Kaiba rolled his eyes and shook his head, finding himself once again manipulated by his little brother. Apparently acting like a demanding brat was his way of begging for attention. It made a little sense, since he wasn't at the hotel the night before and Mokuba was probably shocked to find the place empty. That was incredibly unusual for him, and Mokuba probably panicked.

Their relationship dynamic was getting too complicated. It was turning from siblings to father and son, and finally back to siblings. Mokuba was getting to that age where he was almost able to take care of himself, but not quite. And not unlike his older brother, generally didn't bother to ask others for help.

"Mokuba, you could have just asked for me to stay with you if that was the case. You didn't need to manipulate me into spending time with you."

"Last time I asked," replied the teenager somewhat spitefully, "you told me you had a meeting that couldn't be ignored."

"That was true."

"So, you probably would have come up with the same excuse again."

"Mokuba, you don't know that and maybe if you bothered to plan ahead," said Kaiba, trying to keep from becoming frustrated, "you'd get a hold of me when I'm not busy. It's not that difficult to plan ahead."

"You never call me, Seto."

"And neither do you. What am I supposed to do; I'm not a mind reader."

There was no reply. Mokuba was quiet, picking at his plate awkwardly, avoiding eye contact. Kaiba felt a little bad at being so short with him, but it wasn't fair that he had to be the one jilted over and over again by his own little brother. That he never bothered to talk to him, but somehow still expected Kaiba to just drop everything for him whenever he decided to show up. That sort of thing would no longer fly anymore.

"And I'm sorry I wasn't here last night, but something came out. It's going to happen, and I can't guarantee anymore that I'll be around every time you want me. If you actually need me, I'll be there. But you need to learn how to rely on yourself, Mokuba. I won't always be around."

"I know that, Seto… Where were you last night?"

"Out with a friend."

Mokuba blinked once, titling his head a little before replying, "Since when did you have a friend?"

"It's a long story."


	16. Chapter 16: Indian

"It's a long story?" echoed Mokuba, raising a brow as he looked at Kaiba in disbelief, "Why don't you just tell me? There's no reason for you to be keeping secrets from me, Seto."

"I'm not," replied Kaiba, looking off into a distance, "This is just something that isn't of your concern."

"What isn't my concern? We're brothers. You can tell me anything and I would listen. You know that. Just because we haven't been talking all that much lately doesn't mean I want to be left in the dark about your life…"

Kaiba felt like he was getting a lecture from the younger brother, and rolling his eyes, he met Mokuba's face with a blank gaze. Did he really want to talk about Anzu to the kid, who probably hadn't seen her since the Other Yugi had passed on? It sounded like a potentially embarrassing conversation, going into detail over his relationship with her, but maybe he could shed some light on things.

The fact of the matter was Mokuba probably knew more about girls than Kaiba did, at least from first-hand experience. It was something he figured out a while ago, and letting out a frustrated groan, Kaiba moved over to lay closer to his sibling, folding his hands and resting his head between them as he looked up at Mokuba's face again.

"-Fine. I've been seeing someone lately."

"Who? Do I know them? Since when? Why didn't you tell me Seto, that's a big deal! You should have-"

Raising his hand, Kaiba waited for Mokuba to stop prattling on, his head beginning to ache as all the teen's questions started going through his head. He knew why he didn't want Mokuba to know about his little romance with Anzu. It was private. Something he was just beginning to come to terms with, especially after finding out Anzu didn't exactly feel the same way about him. It was embarrassing, and no one needed to know about his failure in that regard.

" -I wanted to tell you about what was going on Mokuba, but you weren't around. And I didn't want to bother you with my romance angst. But since you are curious… I've been seeing someone you've known for the past few months. It was the main reason actually why I came to New York, and I'm trying to convince her to come back and stay in Japan with me."

"Why wouldn't she?" asked Mokuba, his face looking a bit confused, "Is she American?"

"What? No, of course not."

"Then I don't see the problem."

Of course he didn't. He was still ignorant of the whole situation, and Kaiba was trying to make himself man up and just spill everything, but it was so hard. Mokuba might make him feel better, but he didn't want to expose himself that far. Even over something as stupid as his feelings over a girl.

"She wants to study here, for school. For whatever reason, she's adamant about moving to this city, and I can't really convince her otherwise. I know by next years' time, she won't be in Japan anymore. And I can't deal with that. I want her to do well and get into the school she wants, but at the same time… It wouldn't bother me if she failed and stayed nearby. I sound selfish for wanting that, I know…"

"Who is this person?"

"An old friend."

"Seto, you don't have friends."

Mokuba was laughing, and Kaiba couldn't help but snort in response. Smiling a little at him, Kaiba calmed himself down a little and looked at his brother, admiring him a little before gazing back up at the ceiling. He looked so much like their father, just with more relaxed features. His eyes were still shaped like their mother's, but everything else reminded Kaiba of the actual father he had lost many years ago.

It stung too. Sometimes he couldn't look at him too much, but it was a good reminder at times. Like when they lived with Gozaburo and Kaiba was losing himself to a man who tried to play his paternal figure, to gain his trust. Hell, it still sickened him that he'd called the old man "Father" too, almost earnestly to gain some sort of approval that was never given. If Mokuba hadn't been around wearing his true father's face, who knew what would have happened…

He owed a lot to his brother. More than the teenager would probably ever know.

"She was more like your friend actually…" Pausing, he thought about the repercussions of telling his brother about Anzu, but what could possibly come out of it besides embarrassment? Probably nothing.

"Come on big brother; just tell me who you're talking about."

"… Anzu Mazaki."

"-What?"

Mokuba gave him a face of disbelief, but Kaiba only snorted, knowing full well that sort of reaction was coming. Of course his brother wouldn't believe it, since he never showed much interest in anyone back then, but that was mainly because he was busy. Girls weren't exactly on his radar, and waiting for his younger brother to get his head wrapped around the situation, he let out a big sigh before looking down towards the floor.

"You have to understand Mokuba, it just sort of happened… She was the only one I felt comfortable talking to, about certain things, and we started hanging out some. At first it was just because I was lonely and wanted someone to bother, but it's more than that now… Besides, she's not an awful person and I like her."

"… Well, does she at least like you back?"

Mokuba sounded hopeful, but Kaiba shook his head no. He couldn't honestly tell if she did or not, and it made him stressed out just thinking about it. His feelings were pretty settled, and like with all things, once he set his mind (or heart) on something, that was it. Kaiba rarely changed, but Anzu expressed that she didn't want him like that. Yet, she certainly didn't stop him from having sex with her…

"I don't think so. She's been hard to figure out."

"Be careful then, big brother…"

"I am careful," Kaiba grumbled, rolling his eyes, "As careful as I could possibly be. You have no idea how hard it is, trying to figure out how to win over someone who keeps pushing you away."

Instead of responding, Mokuba was quiet, but Kaiba expected that much. He was talking about something his brother probably had never dealt with just yet, and he normally didn't see his older brother lamenting about someone so openly before... Or ever. They were close, but tended to keep things to themselves, like most males often did. Getting all worked up over a girl was just awkward, and Kaiba internally shamed himself for it.

"-Before I leave New York, I need to see her again. And talk to her, maybe settle some things and find out just what she's going to do, because I'm tired of feeling so helpless about it. I refuse to be in this position, not being able to do anything because she wants two things at once."

"Well," started Mokuba, trying to lighten up the mood, "I don't see why you couldn't win her over. I mean, you're Seto Kaiba!" He was smirking, looking his older brother in the face who was staring back but not appearing half as amused, "You can do the impossible, and getting Anzu to like you shouldn't be that hard."

"She already likes me. But that's it. I can't get her to go any further than that."

"_Oh_."

Becoming very frustrated, Kaiba got up from the bed, going into the walk-in closet while leaving his brother confused who watched him from the foot of the bed. Kaiba wasn't going to lay there feeling sorry for himself when the girl in question was close by, and since Mokuba was just being a cock block before for all intents and purposes, he was going back to Anzu's place to take care of his "relationship" issue.

"Seto, what are you doing?"

"Getting changed. I've made up my mind over something."

He got out of his button shirt and work slacks quickly, putting on a black shirt and tight fitting pants instead. His focus was on reaching Anzu's apartment at a decent time before she decided to go to bed, and if that meant pissing off Mokuba a little bit for ditching him, so be it. As far as Kaiba was concerned, the kid had dragged him away from what he was already planning on doing that night, and unless he had anything more to say, he was done discussing his predicament to his kid brother.

"I'm going to go see her, and I'll catch up with you tomorrow-"

Kaiba was quick to get his clothes changed; Mokuba just sat on the bed staring at him, unable to process just what was going on. He had never seen his brother act so strangely before, and watching, he wanted to see him with Anzu. See for himself what was going on between them, before his brother got himself hurt or worse. He was always choosing the wrong people to become reliable upon, but Anzu wasn't a bad person…

Still, it was his brother. And no one wanted to see someone they cared about coming close to getting hurt.

"Okay Seto, but before we leave New York, I want to see Anzu again too."

Stopping short of the door, Kaiba turned around at him and almost glared, looking suspiciously at his younger brother before turning completely around and leaning against the door frame as he crossed his arms over his chest. "Why?" He asked, his tone much deeper than it was before.

"She was my friend. And I want to visit her."

"You've never shown any desire in seeing her before now. Mokuba, my personal relationships are none of your business."

"Seto, you're being unreasonable!" He got up, walking right in front of Kaiba and giving him a look of disapproval, copying his body language as he crossed his own arms. "I'm not going to do anything to embarrass you. And I don't see why you'd care if she saw me again."

"That's not the point. I don't want you snooping around where your nose doesn't belong…"

"Oh come on, I know you well enough big brother to know you're going to do whatever you want no matter what I say. And I'm not trying to dissuade you from Anzu either, but still… I don't want you getting hurt. Especially since she's planning on leaving you, and you're… attached."

"Mokuba," Kaiba began, sighing a little before getting off the door frame, "I can take care of myself. I'll see you tomorrow."

He turned around shortly afterwards and headed out the door. He knew his little brother didn't approve of his actions, but he didn't care. Kaiba had gone too far to back away from getting what he wanted, even if that meant getting thrown off several times while going for it. Sure, he knew his chances of winning over Anzu were slim, and he wasn't really good enough for her, considering how decent a person she was, but still. He didn't give up anything he wanted to less worthy rivals. It didn't matter if he wasn't who he should be according to his personal ideals, everyone else was much worse.

Besides, he knew deep down despite his issues and lack of romanticism, he would try to make her happy. He'd try hard to please her the best he could, and maybe that would be enough. Maybe she would see his effort and decided he was worth staying with, despite everything. It was hard to take a chance at that, but Kaiba was sure as hell going to try.

* * *

><p>Sitting in the back of the cab alone, he had plenty of time to think over it all too. Traffic was terrible at night, and thinking about how to win over Anzu, Kaiba made up his mind to grab dinner on the way to her apartment. It was the right thing to do, and he wasn't going to mooch on her shit when he had better financial resources.<p>

Watching as he was driven past the inner city, he thought about his options. Japan didn't offer as many things to eat, and although he already had dinner, that didn't mean he wasn't willing to try something a little different. He certainly liked being open minded and "cultured" about his culinary options and Anzu came off as the type of girl who enjoyed anything.

Stopping just three blocks away from her place, Kaiba found a busy looking Indian place, walking in a bit warily before being greeted by the owners. They began swearing by their chicken tikka masala, so being a bit adventurous, Kaiba ordered some to go and went on his way.

It didn't take long before he reached Mazaki's apartment. And after requesting entry, he waited patiently before being buzzed in, racing up the stairs and reaching her door on the fifth floor feeling slightly winded, but excited. Before he could reach the door to knock, Anzu opened it, her face slightly surprised.

"I thought you were busy tonight," she said, looking down at the bag of food in Kaiba's hands, "I was going to call you tomorrow."

"-It got sorted out. I needed to see you."

He stood there awkwardly for a moment before Anzu moved out of the doorway and allowed him in. Walking through, Kaiba noticed that the room hadn't changed since he was there last; the TV was on and her futon was out with the covers wrinkled. She must have been lying in bed, and taking a seat by the foot of it, he slipped off his shoes before opening the plastic bag that contained their food.

"I wasn't sure if you've eaten yet, so I got you some food," said Kaiba, glancing up at Anzu. "You can just save it for later if you're not hungry."

"-Actually, I didn't eat yet. Went to the gym after that conference, and completely forgot to grab something."

She was wearing only a thin pair of cotton shorts and a tank, and Kaiba felt oddly overdressed. Sitting there all in black, he handed Anzu her food before looking away and leaning against the back of the futon. It was more comfortable than he thought it would be, and Anzu crawled over him, sitting right by his side with her legs crossed and fork deep in Indian food.

"I'm glad you came, though," she said, glancing up towards Kaiba's face, "Despite having spent the greater portion of my day with you, I felt like I needed to see you again. I like having you around, you know that."

"I do."

Looking down at her face, he noticed her smile again, and he slumped a little where he was lying down. It was comfortable, being with her in a casual manner, unlike with most people. She didn't make a big deal of his company, and whenever they were together, it just felt natural. It was the most normal thing in the world, especially when they were eating together as friends. And Kaiba usually hated eating in front of people.

"-Mokuba ran into me at the conference. He needed to see me. And after my time apart from home, it was necessary for me to speak with him, even though I regret having to put a rain check on our date. I told him about us…"

"Oh."

Anzu didn't say anything, and Kaiba thought for a second before opening his mouth again, looking at the TV instead of his companion's face.

"He doesn't know anything about our intimacy, but he knows how I feel about you. And he's concerned, which is completely warranted, since my attachment is greater than yours. The kid is intuitive."

"It's not like I don't like you, Kaiba," started Anzu, looking up at him shyly.

"-But you don't love me, and one day that just won't be enough, Anzu. I can't help my feelings, and neither can you. Mokuba knows that, and he knows that if this continues on, I'll be miserable… He's my younger brother; he doesn't want that to happen."

"Kaiba, if I could feel that way about you, I would," started Anzu, putting her food down before reaching over to grab the remote to the TV, "But it's difficult-"

"I'm not looking for an excuse, Anzu. I get it. You were heart broken, and I don't blame you for my situation. But he's right. I can't dwell over relationship that won't ever be what I want it to be. It'll drive me insane."

"But you don't know, maybe one day I could end up falling in love with you. If you don't even give me the chance, Kaiba, you might end up missing out on a good thing. I didn't think I could love anyone after Atem left to the next world, but maybe I was wrong. Just give this a chance."

He wasn't looking to get caught up in relationship angst all over again, but Kaiba just sighed and looked down at Anzu. Her eyes were looking up at him, pleading, and caught for a second, he could only stare before she finally broke contact.

"Kaiba," she began, "I'm not even sure right now if I want to go to New York again. You've messed up everything. It was never my intentions in getting caught up again… I really like you."

"That's not enough for me."

"You're being terribly unfair."

She didn't say anything more, his companion falling silent as she ate her food. Well, his food, which he didn't touch. It actually looked pretty good, but he wasn't one for over eating, and Mokuba had treated him already to dinner. There was no reason to indulge in more food so late at night.

"Anzu, I'm just being honest with you. I don't settle. And I'm tired running around in circles trying to deal with my feelings while we're doing _this_. I want to be with you. I'm not ashamed to admit that, and if you don't want me, then fine, I'll eventually get over it. But don't think for a minute I'll let you play with my feelings because you can't deal with your own. I'll be dammed before another person just walks out of my life, and I don't do anything to stop them. Got it?"

Anzu didn't say anything right away, but Kaiba wasn't dissuaded. He'd get his point across, one way or another.

"If you continue being with me, I will find a way to make you love me."

Looking away, Anzu avoided looking him in the eyes, but Kaiba grabbed her face before she could move away, forcing her into looking at him. He couldn't stop himself, and she wasn't fighting back, and before he knew it, he was glancing down at her lips before meeting them with his own …


	17. Chapter 17: Nouvelle

Thanks everyone who has made it this far with me and my story. I really appreciate all the feedback and encouragement to continue. This story has been all I wanted and more, I've always wanted to write a good post-canon Azureshipping story, and without all my readers, that wouldn't have been possible. Just please stuck around a little bit longer, and don't forget to please review after reading. Thanks a ton!

~AllisonWalker

* * *

><p>New York couldn't last forever. And standing again alongside the portable barre practicing alone after class, Anzu realized that she was becoming far more distracted than she had been before. She couldn't focus, when the instructors were giving her commands, falling too short from what was expected from her at the level she danced at. Anzu had come so far, especially for someone of her body shape and size, but after what had happened a few weeks ago, she was beginning to lose her drive.<p>

It had been some time since that fateful internship at New York City. She had returned to Domino City, renewed, yet very anxious as school was beginning again for her and she needed to keep her position in the university's ballet program and not get swallowed up by the new freshmen. Many of them were lithe; their bodies were made for dance. They didn't have to overcome the challenges of a full figure.

Anzu just felt like she was starting to lose her drive. After all that work, her dedication was slipping as she watched younger girls get past her, the politics of dance pushing her behind as she had no way of fighting against it.

"Mazaki, you're going to harm yourself if you keep pushing so hard," yelled one student, who had picked up her things after showering in the locker room, "Go home already."

"Not until I have this fouette down!"

The other girl just rolled her eyes and left, her pony tail swinging as she went out the door. Anzu spun around one last time before tripping, crashing to the ground and landing on her ass hard. She almost thought she'd done something to her tailbone, but the pain wasn't that bad, it just stung a lot. And unable to stop herself, she swore a little before slamming her hands on the ground in defiance.

"First day with new legs?" Asked a deep voice.

Turning her head around, she realized Kaiba was there, standing with his arms folded, a smirk across his face. She grimaced; he wasn't supposed to be around, but Anzu couldn't stop him from appearing if he wanted to. They were still friends, in spite of everything, and although she didn't approve of his intentions for them, she couldn't tell him to go away either.

"Shut up, I've been at this for some time," she replied, frowning at him, "And class was long."

"Oh, I could only imagine. You look beat. You're not hurt are you?"

"I'm fine."

Before Kaiba could offer her a hand, she got up, dusting the front of her skirt before walking for to the mirror to collect her bag. She needed to get home, before it got dark, and giving Kaiba a confused look, she walked past him while heading out of the studio to wait outside for the bus to come.

"You know Mazaki; I didn't come by just to watch you fall on your ass. I'd like to take you out to dinner."

"You want a date?" She asked, turning back to look at him, "I'm tired. I'd have to take a shower and get redressed again."

"No you don't," corrected Kaiba, giving her a smug look, "I wasn't going to drag you out in public. I have my own chef."

Anzu turned to blow him off, but he was too fast, grabbing her arm gently but assertively enough to stop her in her tracks. He seemed set on having his way, walking in front of her.

"You've been avoiding me ever since you got back. I don't know if you just don't like me anymore because of my feelings or are just playing a mean game of hard to get, but you need to get over it, Mazaki. What's your problem? I haven't been anything but respectful to you, and you're treating me like some pest."

Instead of replying, she averted her eyes, and Kaiba dropped her arm, grumbling before getting out of her way.

"If you really don't want anything to do with me, then fine. I'll leave you alone."

" -What kind of dinner are you offering?"

Anzu's fridge was near empty and as long as Kaiba behaved, there was no reason not to go. It wasn't like he was a bad host either, he tended to carry on good conversation when he was motivated to be social, and she knew he wouldn't act like an ass unless she did something to provoke him.

After all, she _had_ been avoiding him. And Anzu knew that after his declaration back in her apartment three weeks ago, he wouldn't let her go without a fight. He never let anything go, when he wanted something hard enough, and she was almost afraid she'd give up too fast and get sucked in by his affections… That meant she'd have to fight hard to resist him, and the only way Anzu knew how to do that was by not seeing him.

"French. But it's different, the style is far more simplistic and the food isn't so heavy. I think you'll like it. It sort of reminds me of Japanese food actually, in the minimal presentation of it."

He looked a bit eager to convince her to go; his face was lighting up at the prospect of dining together. She wondered what exactly he had planned, and finally sighing in defeat, Anzu meet his eyes and smiled a little.

"I like French. Just drop me off at my apartment first so I can pick up some clothes and take a shower. I don't want to be disgusting at your house."

"It's not like you have anyone to impress," said Kaiba, rolling his eyes at her request, "But fine. I'll stop at your place, but try to be quick about it…"

His car was conveniently parked close to the dance studio, near the coffee shop where they had bumped into each other months before. Glancing at it, Anzu frowned a little at the memory before getting into the red sport's car, buckling up before trying to fit her bag near her legs.

"I'm sorry if I smell," she started, noticing their close quarters, "If you roll the windows down, I won't feel offended."

"You're being silly, Mazaki, you smell just fine."

He didn't roll down the windows, instead getting out of his parking spot and heading towards the residential area of Domino, where Anzu's apartment was. The once blooming cherry trees that lined it were covered in dark green leaves, along with the lone apricot tree that stood in front of Anzu's place. It appeared slightly smaller than the rest, but just as pretty.

"I'll be fast," said Anzu, grabbing her bag and keys, "And you can come in if you'd like. You don't have to sit in your car."

Kaiba snorted, getting out and locking the door. He seemed slightly appeased now that Anzu wasn't trying to blow him off, and once they were inside the house and she'd locked the door, he found a place to sit on her couch again, flipping through his phone to look at what Anzu could only assume was business related crap.

It didn't take long at all for her to shower and change. She didn't want Kaiba going through her things, and reappearing clean and with wet hair, she hurried towards the front door. He seemed unphased, taking his damn time getting off the couch and walking out the door before unlocking his car and taking a seat in the driver's side. His smug look of self-satisfaction did not go unnoticed, and frowning, Anzu was well aware that he got his way again.

"You smell nice," he said, side eying her before pulling off of the curb, "Not that you didn't before."

"Don't tease me," mumbled Anzu, looking out of the window while folding her hands, "And next time you should call ahead before asking me on some date. I don't like surprises."

"I would have called ahead if you weren't avoiding my phone calls," remarked Kaiba, snorting a little, "May I remind you again that you said we were dating? I don't see why a little confession has you this flustered over our relationship."

She didn't like how quick he was to figure out things. Sighing a little, Anzu looked up at him, glancing at his eyes before looking away again. His face seemed schooled, there was no expression that could be read from it, but while looking at the blue in his gaze, Anzu could tell a little that he was hurt. And not trying to show it.

"I got really busy, but that's not really an excuse…"

"I get busy all the damn time," remarked Kaiba, his voice getting a little gruff, "But I'd make time for you if that was required of me. That's the difference between you and me… You can't just ignore me like that."

"I wasn't ignoring you," she responded back, looking at Kaiba again with sad eyes, "Not really."

"Then what? I don't see how you can just forget about me after everything that happened in New York. We're both grown adults, Mazaki, and you're making this all more dramatic than it has to be."

"You told me you'd make me love you, Kaiba-"

"-And I meant it. What's so wrong with that? Is the idea of you and me being together repulsive to you? Because I thought after everything we've done together, you might actually like me…"

"I do."

Instead of saying anything else, Kaiba gave Anzu a dubious look, glancing at her in silence. His eyes appeared slightly narrow, and looking away while sighing, she didn't say anything else either. He wasn't going to be appeased. And Anzu wasn't going to try to make him understand, either, because she knew he wouldn't. Sure, it seemed pretty black and white to him, but Anzu had her own goals and she wouldn't abandon them just because he made up his mind to pursue her.

Sitting in silence, she just watched the cars drive by as they went out of the city and came upon the Kaiba Mansion. It was one of the older houses in Domino, which was fenced off and had constant security standing guard around its gates. Anzu had seen it before, and looking at the large, grandiose, very European architecture she wondered how such a place existed in Japan. It looked so out of place, surrounded by nothing but trees and well tucked away from the suburban homes, Anzu thought it belonged in England by the looks of it.

There were huge pillars and the entire building was stark white. Kaiba seemed rather indifferent to it, coming over to the gate only for the guard to pass him on, the doors opening before he drove the car through them. They went down the driveway, heading towards the front entrance before Kaiba parked right alongside the curb and got out, silently waiting by the door while Anzu stumbled out.

"How can you live in such a big place alone?" She gasped, her eyes widening as she took in the sight of the house.

"I always have," Kaiba said, rolling his eyes, "And I don't even visit most parts of the house. It's more like a mausoleum than house anyways…"

Anzu didn't quite understand that comment, but not wanting to be left outside, she quickly joined him into the foyer before the door was closed. Inside, she gasped at the grand master stair case, taken back by the grandeur of the place while Kaiba turned towards a hallway, looking back slightly annoyed.

"Are you coming?"

Instead of answering, Anzu skipped after him, her face falling a little as she detected a bit of animosity in Kaiba's tone. He was being a dick, walking too fast for her deliberately, and she wanted to say something to him. Tell him to stop being a jerk, but then again, she had ignored him for the past several weeks without good reason and he had invited her over for dinner.

"Will you stop being mad at me, Kaiba?"

"I'm not mad."

He was lying, but Anzu didn't say anything else. She followed him, practically running down the hallway until they reached the dining room. It was huge, and becoming slightly nervous, Anzu stepped back from the room, overlooking the giant oak table and the surrounding chairs, but Kaiba walked past them. Instead of sitting down there, he opened a pair of French doors, leading them outside onto the patio where a small table set for two waited for them.

"I never eat in there," he explained, "Not since Gozaburo died. Usually I eat in bed, but I presumed you wouldn't want to be so informal with me tonight."

He pulled out her seat, still frowning while Anzu sat down, before sitting at his own. His face looked strained, as he pulled up to the table and crossed his legs, but at least when one of the staff arrived, his face lit up, if only a little. They served them two appetizers, and Anzu couldn't help but make a slight face.

"Caviar isn't so bad," said Kaiba, picking up a cracker as he inspected the sturgeon's eggs, "Haven't you had it on sushi before?"

"I don't usually eat it, and it was never black in color."

Kaiba snickered at her, before eating the entire thing. She made a face at him, but then her stomach growled, and one of the staff was coming out with a wine bottle. A drink sounded lovely, but she couldn't risk getting drunk off an empty stomach.

"You eat strange things sometimes, Kaiba," she remarked, picking up a cracker, "But fine. I'll try it."

Putting it into her mouth, Anzu was a tab surprised that it didn't taste terrible. It was salty, and the taste of fish was rather strong, but to her surprise, it was almost like eating raw fish on bread. And it tasted slightly buttery, all things considered. She wasn't completely opposed to it, and taking another cracker to her mouth, she allowed the eggs to melt on her tongue before swallowing it, surprised at herself for liking it as much as she did.

"See? It's not that bad, when you aren't thinking over where it came from. I've always liked caviar," explained Kaiba, lifting his nose a tad, "But Mokuba tells me it's an acquired taste."

"I don't think it's bad, just different," said Anzu, having another, "I'd definitely eat this more often with sushi if I could afford to."

"Salmon roe is quite delicious, actually."

The food was appearing fast on their table now, the staff coming to and from the kitchen quickly to feed the pair. Each plate was small and rather simple in presentation, the lobster being fresh, and the scallops perfectly seared. Anzu was amazed by the array of seafood Kaiba had brought to them, with the French flair that seemed to consist of subtle flavors she could appreciate, not far from the Japanese meals she was already used to. It was good, all the food, and after having a few glasses of wine and ending dinner on a sweet desert of simple fresh fruit with cream, Kaiba helped her up from the table.

But when they headed back inside the mansion, Anzu could tell almost immediately that he was drunk. There was an uncharacteristic grin across his face, and he was strolling around a little like he wasn't exactly sure as to where he wanted to go. Taking a firm hold of his arm and leading him back to the foyer, Anzu made sure he didn't trip over his long legs, getting them over to the staircase before realizing she didn't know where he even slept.

"Kaiba, where's your bedroom?"

"Upstairs, on the right side," He mumbled, "I can walk just fine you know."

Anzu ignored him, making her way up the stairs with Kaiba following behind. His eyes were glazing around all distracted, and looking back several times, she frowned a little when he caught him checking her out.

"Stop staring at my ass!"

"I'm not staring," he corrected, turning up his nose, "I'm admiring. You should appreciate my attention more, Mazaki."

"Stop it, before I leave you behind."

She wanted to slap him upside the head, but she was on the wrong side of him, and he was too tall for that anyways. Huffing a little, Anzu just hurried up the stairs more before waiting on Kaiba to join her, grabbing his arm again before pulling him down the hallway, looking around until her companion stopped at the end of the hall, smiling more broadly before turning towards her.

"This is my room," said Kaiba, sounding a bit full of himself, "It used to be his, but then I took it. Because this is my house."

"I already knew that," replied Anzu rather flippantly, and following Kaiba into the bedroom, she was slightly surprised how by big it was. The room was as large as her apartment, and walking far enough that Kaiba could close the door; she stepped in and glanced through it, noting the huge bed, French doors leading to the balcony, and the gaming system that was set up.

"I had the bed replaced, of course, when Gozaburo died," continued Kaiba, as he collapsed on the mattress, "And I changed the décor some. I didn't like the pseudo-European crap theme he had going on here. This modern simplistic style is much better. I feel freer."

Anzu just smirked at him, before taking a seat next to him. His blue eyes were staring at the ceiling before they fell upon her, his goofy ass grin still across his face. He looked pretty happy, and she almost felt like touching his hair just to be nice, but Anzu stopped herself. She didn't want to motivate him into doing something in return.

"You should lie down with me," he purred, putting a hand on her thigh before rubbing it with his thumb, "You look so tired and tense. They work you too hard at the studio. I don't get why you do it to yourself."

"I want to dance, Kaiba."

"I know," he lamented, moving to touch her hair, "But we both know how hard it is to make a career out of it. And Anzu, you don't exactly have a ballerina's physique. I'd hate to see you fail and your dreams become crushed, but you need to face reality. Even if you did dance, your career would be short and brutal."

"I think it would be worth it," she mumbled back, looking away briefly, "I always wanted this."

"So you'd rather put yourself through misery at the risk of failure than take a chance at being with me? We both know this relationship can't last if you move to New York."

There was silence as they stared at each other for a while. Kaiba's face looked more vulnerable than Anzu was used to seeing it, and despite trying to look away from him and scoot back, he seemed adamant at making her look at him, moving to sit up before cupping the side of her face so they'd look each other eye to eye again.

"Anzu," he began, "I really want you to stay with me. I'd do anything to make you change your mind… Anything. If you went to New York, I'd still go over there as often as I could to make you reconsider, and I know how you feel about dancing, but… Please. I could make you happy too, if you'd just let me."

There was alcohol on his breath, and looking at Kaiba's face, Anzu knew he was being serious. Alcohol made people too honest and he wasn't trying to hide anything from her. His expression appeared completely sincere, and she didn't know what to say for a long while. It wasn't like him to be so… open over his feelings, and when she didn't respond back, he just sighed and lay back down again, still touching Anzu's face.

"I don't expect you to feel the same way. But that doesn't mean I won't try doing everything possible to change your mind. You know I will… I'm anal retentive."

He finally looked away, turning onto his side before kicking off his shoes. Anzu just watched, he seemed able to take off his clothes without a problem, and once he was down to his boxers, he got under the sheets and pulled the left side back for Anzu. She wasn't sure exactly if she wanted to sleep with him, because being close just made things that much harder for her, but Anzu couldn't reject him. Getting down to her underwear, she settled next to him, not at all surprised when he moved to lay against her back.

"I'm sorry I got drunk," he muttered, "I'm usually much better with alcohol."

"You're fine, Kaiba."

"-I really like your dancing, too."

"I know," sighed Anzu, closing her eyes, "You're rambling. Go to bed."

"It's still too early to sleep, I'm an insomniac, you know."

His voice was slurred, mixing in well with his natural drawl that he seemed to have while talking. Anzu knew it was because of his accent that he was always trying to hide, and snorting, she thought about just watching a movie then if he wasn't ready to go to bed.

"I'm actually really tired," mumbled Anzu, turning to face Kaiba, "And I was actually planning on going to bed before you stopped me at the studio. My feet feel like shit, and I should have done something with them before going to bed."

"Something like what? I could rub them down for you."

It was an offer she couldn't resist. Sitting up against the head board of the bed, Anzu stuck her legs out as Kaiba moved down to her side, sitting up some before taking the closest foot into his lap. Her feet looked bruised, the skin tinged purple with yellow slouches all over. The discoloration was unsettling, but it didn't stop him from kneading the muscle in his hands.

"Do your feet always look like this?" he asked, tracing the bruising with one finger.

"I'm trying to break in a new pair of en pointe shoes," Sighed Anzu, closing her eyes, "Pain just goes along with making them fit."

"I don't get why you'd do this to yourself," said Kaiba back, "This doesn't look comfortable at all."

"It's not. I'm taking Motrin for it almost on a daily basis, but that's what all ballet dancers do. Pain is a part of dance, and I've never split a toenail or something extreme like that."

"You hurt your ankle once," reminded Kaiba.

"I'll end up doing it again," answered Anzu, rolling her eyes, "But it's not the end of the world. That just goes along with the territory of my art."

"Injuring your body?"

"Not on purpose, Kaiba…"

He changed feet, pushing his thumbs hard into the sides of Anzu's left foot while frowning a little. His buzz from before was beginning to die down, his grin long gone as he concentrated on massaging Anzu's feet.

"… What are you going to do after retiring from ballet, if it works out? Your body will be destroyed. Nothing will be as strong as it was before, you know that. The body can only take so much abuse, and aging will hit you so hard, Anzu…"

"Kaiba, I'll worry about that if I become a professional ballerina."

"You should be worrying about that now."

His features looked calm, but his eyes betrayed him. And as they sat in silence, Anzu thought over his words, doubt slowly creeping upon her as the pain in her feet subsided.


	18. Chapter 18: Midnight Snack

It wasn't long before Kaiba fell asleep and Anzu was left awake in his bed alongside him. He snored, although not quite loud enough to be annoying, and digging his nose up against his partner's neck, Anzu almost thought about swatting him away, but it wasn't like he was even aware of his own attempts to snuggle. And removing the arm that was holding onto her waist, she silently got out of bed and tip toed over to the door, looking back at Kaiba before leaving.

His face looked so serene while asleep. It was like being around another person, and watching, it made Anzu wonder what had happened to him to cause him to frown so much while awake. Anzu had somewhat of a clue, just from talking to him, but still, a great deal of it was a mystery.

Like the house.

Stepping into the empty hallway, Anzu was immediately met by darkness. Everything was near pitch black, and it took precaution to find the stairs, slowly going down while using her right foot to test the depth before taking that first step down before she reached the first floor again.

From there, Anzu walked into the foyer, trying to remember where the kitchen was. The house was too big, and staring at the different hallways, she really couldn't remember where to go until she heard a faint voice calling out.

"Anzu, what are you doing here?"

Turning around, she was surprised to find Mokuba there staring at her. He was wearing clothes that suited his age, and his hair was shorter, but it was him. Same eyes and same face, although less child-like.

"Uh…"

"Don't get all flustered, I know you've been seeing my brother," explained Mokuba, rolling his eyes, "That's not new information. But you look lost. Where are you trying to go?"

Well, at least that part of her embarrassment had passed. Kaiba must have told him something at some time, if he knew about it already.

"The kitchen. I forgot where it was."

"Well you're in luck," teased Mokuba, grinning a little as Anzu began to relax noticeably from being spooked in the dark, "I was planning on going in there to get something to eat myself. Big brother doesn't like me snacking at night, but what he doesn't know won't kill him. Not everyone is as image conscious as he is."

He started walking off into a darkened hallway, and not wanting to be left alone, Anzu followed after. Mokuba was as tall as she was, if not an inch or more taller, and he seemed like he wasn't even done growing yet. Kaiba was giant, compared to most Japanese men, and if Mokuba was lucky, he would have inherited the same genes.

"So what were you doing with my brother?" Asked Mokuba, as he turned back to glance at Anzu's face before she could school her reaction.

"Nothing."

"Obviously not nothing, I wasn't born yesterday."

That made the girl huff, and feeling slightly insulted, Anzu brought her hands to her hips, narrowing her eyes at the back of Mokuba's head as she walked faster to catch up with him.

"Mokuba, all we did was have dinner together. Not that it's any of your business, he's a grown ass man and got a little drunk, so I made sure he got to bed. That's it."

"Geez Anzu, there's no reason to get all snippy with me."

He looked back at her grinning, knowing full well that he was bothering her a little with his invasive questioning, but he didn't feel like stopping either. It was too much fun, watching her get bent out of shape over his older brother.

"I mean I knew already that he was seeing you since New York. I'm not all that surprised to see you here," said Mokuba, still keeping his face smug, "And I'm glad you two haven't bickered into breaking up already. I know how Seto can be. And he likes you, even if he doesn't always show it."

"Yeah, I know that," mumbled Anzu back, looking away from embarrassment, "He's made that much clear."

"Then what's the problem?"

"Problem? There is no problem."

"Sure there's not…"

Mokuba was still grinning, and grumbling to herself, Anzu followed him into the kitchen. She wasn't even sure what exactly she wanted, since a dancer shouldn't be eating late at night anyways. Her figure was something of a sore spot for her, and watching Mokuba, she frowned when he went into the fridge, taking out a small carton of chocolate ice cream and eating it all himself while sitting on the counter.

"That'll make you fat, Mokuba," warned Anzu, as she crossed her arms, "And I'm sure your brother wouldn't approve of that sort of snacking."

"What are you doing to do? Tattle on me?"

He was snickering to himself, making a show of his ice cream. It looked so good, the creamy texture that just curled when Mokuba dug his spoon into it, and the chocolate was rich enough that Anzu could smell it from where she was standing.

It was such a tease. But she wouldn't indulge.

Instead, she grabbed a peach from the counter, not put off at all by the fuzz around the skin. It was easy enough to eat, she could tell that someone had picked it recently from the way the juices began running down her face. The fruit was ripe, soft, and at its sweetest. Maybe Kaiba was lucky enough to get someone to buy his produce at a expensive market away from the city, where everything came straight from local farms instead of the imported crap Anzu was used to.

Because just having a peach, well, a bowl full of peaches was a luxury. Most fruit was so expensive, and he had close to six just sitting there waiting to be eaten. The amount most people ever got to enjoy was probably two a year, if that, and narrowing her eyes, she wondered what else Kaiba had hiding.

"It's good, isn't it?" Asked Mokuba. He was still sitting there grinning, looking far too pleased with himself.

"Yeah, it's good," answered Anzu back, "Does he often spoil himself with fresh fruit?"

"He's very particular about his diet. Seto doesn't like eating crap, or any sort of processed garbage, and he pays a lot of have locally grown foods instead of stuff shipped over from China. There's always stuff being brought in from the farms, because he's so picky, but I guess I can't complain since we do eat better than most people."

"And yet there you are eating ice cream instead of peaches."

"Yeah, well-"Mokuba paused, looking at Anzu rather sharply before stuffing another spoonful of dessert into his mouth, "This is hormone free. So it's not terrible for me..."

Anzu rolled her eyes as she finished up her fruit. Mokuba was certainly entertaining, if just as bratty as she remembered him being. They weren't discussing Kaiba any longer (even if it was brief), so Anzu didn't feel so nervous being around him. He wasn't being hostile, but just teasing, which she figured was just as annoying to Kaiba as it was to her… if not worse.

"So," he started, putting the ice cream away finally, "When did you and my big brother start seeing each other? I know it wasn't recently, because he wouldn't let you in the house if it was just something casual."

"Mokuba, I already said that wasn't any of your business!"

He shrugged, not looking a bit offended.

"I'm just trying to figure out what you feel about him. Because this whole thing kinda threw me for a loop," admitted Mokuba, as he stood next to Anzu and crossed his arms, leaning against the counter that she was sitting on, "And I'm his brother. I got to know. Make sure you aren't trying anything stupid."

"You know me."

"I knew you," corrected the boy, "But that was before and this is now. Seto is the most important person in my life, and I don't think you'd do anything to hurt him, but still. Sometimes he attaches himself to people who are only trying to hurt him. Hopefully that's not your intent."

"People like who?" Asked Anzu.

Mokuba sighed, looking slightly distressed before he stood up some, straightening out his shoulders as he became more serious. Up close, Anzu could see the familiarity better. His face wasn't so babyish anymore; there was maturity there, even if he was still developing. The boy's eyes especially weren't so innocent anymore, they had that same slightly shrewd look that Kaiba's had, although less sad looking since Mokuba seemed to brighten up quickly when he was teasing her.

"Oh, people like Pegasus. You remember Pegasus. That was Seto's hero back in the day, before he knew what he was planning. He really wanted to work with him to make Duel Monsters better, the game left an impression on him and big brother knew how to make it better. He didn't think someone he admired like that would actually try stealing the company from under him…

And then there were people like the Big Five. Different executives from Kaiba Corp he tried putting faith into, but they always ended up turning on him eventually. It was like every time he had his back turned, someone was trying to jam a knife into him. For the longest time, he didn't even want to deal with the corporation anymore, because everything was so dysfunctional.

But I'm hoping you're different."

"I'm not one of his business colleagues," said Anzu, as she was unsure whether to be offended or not, "And I'm not in the business of hurting other people. I'm a dancer."

"You're a girl. You could do it without even trying."

Anzu didn't like that answer, but she was silent as Mokuba continued studying her face, looking for answers. He seemed more mature than ever, and she could see flashes of Kaiba in him she didn't quite like, if only because it was unnerving to her.

"Do you love him, Anzu?"

"I don't know."

"How can you not know? Either you do or you don't. I mean come on; it's not rocket science…"

"Mokuba!" Anzu nearly yelled it, she snapped under his constant questioning, throwing the peach pit at his face, "Stop giving me the third degree over your brother. He's a big boy, he can handle himself."

"I hope you know I'm not going to pick that up."

Snorting, he walked off, and Anzu had to quickly make up her mind over what to do. He was acting slightly indignant, not unlike his older brother, and picking up the pit and throwing it into the trash, Anzu followed after him. She wasn't going to get left behind in the awfully big dark house.

"Mokuba, I just would appreciate it if you'd give me a chance."

"I am giving you a chance," he responded, laughing at Anzu's expense, "If I didn't like you, I would have called security for shits and giggles. Although Seto would wake up and get mad at me, but what would I care? It's not like he'd ground me for getting "spooked"."

It was obvious that the boy was spoiled. There would be no winning against him.

"Did you do that to Kaiba's last girl friend?" Asked Anzu, raising up an eyebrow, "I thought you said he didn't bring people here."

"He doesn't. But I was waiting for the moment he would, just so I could do that."

"You're a little snot."

Overly protective too, in Anzu's opinion. He didn't need to treat people that way just because he could get away with it, but what could she tell him? To knock it off? Mokuba was a Kaiba, and he was going to do whatever he wanted unless his older brother told him otherwise.

"Do you need help finding your way to Seto's room or no?"

"I'll be fine alone, thanks."

She snorted, not quite pleased that he thought him sending her back would be proper, and Anzu was quick to get up the stairs. Apparently his room was close by, because Mokuba was following after, not winded at all from the trip. Maybe that was why he was eating so much ice cream without worrying, because he was constantly going up the damn staircase…

"You know," said Mokuba, breaking the silence, "I do like you. I was pleased when he told me he was seeing you, and I had some time to muse over it."

"I'm glad I met your standards then," answered Anzu back, if a tad sarcastically.

"You don't know what it's like being his brother…"

There was silence, but before Anzu could ask over that, Mokuba parted ways to the other side of the hallway. His bedroom had to be on the same floor, but not quite so close to Kaiba's that they were in each other's hair. That wasn't surprising, since he was nearly a grown adult and Kaiba himself was almost his father…

Going into the bedroom again, she tried being quiet about getting into bed, tip toeing over to the mattress. Kaiba hadn't moved, his arm was still draped over where Anzu was once laying, and his face still looked the same. No tense look of aggravation on it, and pulling the blankets back, she tried going right there but suddenly the man moved, sitting up some before touching his face.

"What are you doing, Anzu?"

His voice was deeper than usual, and slightly crackly. Anzu turned to look at him, but Kaiba still had his eyes closed, and his breath sucked in before he settled back down again.

"You smell like peaches."

"I was hungry."

He chuckled, nuzzling up again while Anzu rolled her eyes. Kaiba must not have been self-aware yet, or else he wouldn't have been so affectionate. Sure, he was drunk some hours ago, but most of it had to already passed, and now he was being his normal self… Just without the hesitations.

"You're going to have a wicked hangover in the morning, Kaiba."

Anzu couldn't see him, but he opened his eyes at that, looking at the back of her head as his hand went along her stomach. It was flat, and his hand was cold, which made her shutter slightly before from shock, but she didn't try moving away from him.

"Then I won't go to work in the morning."

"You not going to work?"

It was the strangest thing Kaiba had ever told her before, as he seemed so dedicated to his office. However, he had drunk a ton of wine that night, and coming in looking half asleep with dark circles around his eyes would not do him any good.

"Yeah, sometimes I do that."

He didn't seem interested in talking a lot, but Anzu decided his short sentences were enough to carry on a conversation with. As long as he wasn't irritated, she could continue talking to him. She wasn't yet tired enough to try sleeping just yet again.

"-I ran into Mokuba in the kitchen. He's afraid I'm going to hurt you."

There was a heavy sigh before Kaiba moved away, settling onto his back while brushing away his bangs with his hand. His eyes were still closed, but his face now looked more anxious than before, like he was awake and over thinking the situation Anzu had presented him with.

"He'll get over it."

"So you think he's right then?"

"Mokuba is over protective," said Kaiba, as if trying to change the subject, "And he's never had to deal with this sort of thing before. I wasn't dating women before you. I didn't have the time or patience for it, and he found you in the house unexpectedly. I can't say I blame him for the poor reaction."

"Yeah well, he was rather invasive over it."

"He didn't mean any harm."

Anzu gave out a frustrated sigh, turning onto her stomach while looking at Kaiba, who must have been trying to nurse a headache. His temples were all cross, and his eyes were closed shut, despite them both being in the dark. It wasn't like they could see anything, but that didn't stop him from looking uncomfortable.

"Anzu, if it bothers you that much, I'll talk to him tomorrow."

"It wasn't serious."

"Then why are you so bothered over it? He's just a teenager, ignore him."

But Anzu couldn't. Mokuba had asked her a tough question, and before she could say anything more about it, Kaiba had fallen asleep again, this time on his back. Apparently whatever was bothering him before wasn't enough to stop him from just passing out, and Anzu wanted to hit him back awake, but knew better. He wouldn't appreciate that very much.

Her mind was going a thousand thoughts a second, all on the man next to her who had returned to snoring again. Anzu realized just how much she cared, that she couldn't pretend anymore that she was just testing the waters to see where things went. They were in bed together, and it felt comfortable. The snoring didn't even bother her, like she thought it would (Jonouchi's had in the past), and watching Kaiba's face in the dark, she wondered what she was going to do with herself.

How was she going to deal with what she knew?

It wouldn't do much though obsessing over it during the night. Tomorrow was another day, and she had responsibilities. Staying up all night would do her little good, so frowning a little and moving until she was laying against Kaiba's chest, she laid her head down under his chin and tried falling back to sleep.


	19. Chapter 19: Kaiseki

Opening his eyes after falling back to sleep hours ago, Kaiba was not surprised to find himself supporting a headache thanks to his hangover. Not only that, but he had a bad case of dry mouth, and he was internally cursing himself out for not taking a drink the night before while he had the chance. The bed was too uncomfortably warm as well, and feeling Anzu's head against his chest, he knew he'd gotten lazy the night before and didn't take proper care of himself, but it was too late now.

His temples were throbbing. Not pleased with the sensation, he forced himself from bed, careful not to displace Anzu too much, and made his way to the bathroom. She was still asleep, not even stirring when he placed her off from his chest and onto the mattress instead. Her eyes were closed, and her dark lashes were curling against her fair complexion, and even her mouth was slightly ajar in her sleep.

Kaiba wasn't exactly sure if it was a good idea to wake her up, and deciding that she was better off getting more rest and knowing she didn't have class that morning, he left her alone.

Besides, he really needed to use the bathroom. Going inside and shutting the door behind him, he quickly took a piss thanks to his upset bladder before drinking several glasses of water and swallowing a pain pill to make his hangover more manageable. He didn't want to deal with the discomfort all day, and after returning to bed, he decided that he wouldn't be showing his face at work.

And why would he? His eyes had dark circles, and he smelled like wine still. No doubt if he went, his dreadful appearance and the throbbing in his head would make the day rather meaningless since he wouldn't get anything of use done throughout the day.

Looking into the far mirror across from the bed, he noticed how awful he looked sitting there. While Anzu was something of a sleeping beauty, his hair was a damn mess and his skin was too pale. Using his fingers, he tried combing it down, but the strands still stuck up at weird angles and eventually he gave up.

His vanity would have to wait.

But Isono wouldn't. He picked up his phone from the bedside table and called the man promptly, so he wouldn't be missed from the ride to work.

Now to figure out what to do with his free day. Anzu was sleeping, and he didn't have a desire to rest with her, since his brain was too busy waking up. Being lazy first thing in the morning only worked after sex, something he was only fortunate enough to have experienced once, and since that hadn't occurred the night before, he didn't feel it was necessary to bond in bed together like that.

No, instead he went downstairs, carefully making each step while wearing a simple silk robe before reaching the dining room downstairs. Kaiba knew Mokuba would be there, since he couldn't cook for himself and he needed to eat before driving to school. It was a sort of freedom Kaiba allowed his brother, and taking a seat in front of him, he didn't even mutter a greeting before addressing him rather abruptly.

"You know better than to be eating in the middle of the night."

Crossing his leg, he waited before a servant appeared with a tray prepared, his morning meal the same as always. Japanese customary breakfasts entailed fish and rice with pickled vegetables and miso soup, along with some fruit if lucky enough to afford it. Kaiba had a peach, and being given his uncustomary black coffee, he sipped it slowly while waiting for Mokuba's response.

"I was hungry," he whined, stuffing bacon into his mouth, "And you wouldn't have cared if Anzu wasn't being so overly sensitive last night."

"You're going to make yourself fat."

Kaiba disapproved of the bacon. Mokuba wasn't always going to be a skinny little twig, and curling the corner of his lip, the older brother gave a look of disapproval before taking his chopsticks to eat his fish.

"And despite that, Anzu is important to me. I don't care if she was being "overly sensitive" or not, you don't have the right to be rude to her in my house while she's my guest. Got it?"

"Yeah, sure."

Mokuba was being a brat. It wouldn't be of any use to get angry over the disrespectful answer, and he didn't want him going to school in a bad mood, so Kaiba bit his tongue before deciding over what to say.

"I know you mean the best, little brother, but I can make my own decisions over whom to spend time with, and I don't need your seal of approval. I'm glad you like Anzu, but the fact of the matter is that's irrelevant since I'd still be seeing her even if you didn't-"

"-You make bad choices over people, Seto. You can't deny that."

"Anzu Mazaki is not a business colleague."

"Obviously. She's more than that, which makes it even more troubling."

"She's harmless."

"She's a girl, Seto."

There was an awkward silence as both siblings became quiet. Kaiba was trying not to glare at Mokuba while he gave his older brother the most serious look he could muster. It was rather uncomfortable, especially for the servants who were rushing to clear Mokuba's spot, as he already ate all of his cereal and a banana, as usual, and it was him who broke eye contact first.

"I just don't want you getting hurt again. I didn't think you'd get all mad at me for caring."

"I'm not mad, Mokuba."

Forcing himself to eat, Kaiba tried schooling his face a little so he wouldn't look so pissed. Food helped, since his facial features relaxed some, and the taste of fresh salty fish on rice with soy sauce was good compared to the junky crap Mokuba liked to shove down his throat.

"But you need to be careful about how you talk to Anzu. She's not one of your friends from school, and you'll probably be seeing more of her in the near future. If you try chasing her out of my house next time you see her around, then I'll be a little more than just mad..."

"Seto, I wouldn't do that."

"For your sake, I'd hope not."

Mokuba knew his brother wasn't against punishing him. Not when it fit the crime, and he didn't want to subject himself to the unpleasant experience of being humbled when Seto set his mind to being "father" instead of "brother". It never ended up good.

"I won't upset her again," Mokuba mumbled, dropping his head down, "Like I said before, I just wanted to make sure she wasn't using you or something. Women do that."

Kaiba snorted. As if he hadn't had enough experience with that. Women and men both were quick to whore themselves out physically and emotionally when they wanted something from him, and he had learned at a quick age to avoid that sort of attention. That most people were not sincere.

But Anzu was different. He had, after all, chosen her.

"She's not dating me for money or anything like that, you goose," said Kaiba, as he sighed and started sipping his soup, "I had to work hard to convince her to even give me a chance. I'm more attached to her than she is me, and anyone who was looking to use me wouldn't have been so damn difficult to get in the first place."

"Sounds like you have poor game then," laughed Mokuba, as he got up from the table, "I thought you were Domino's most eligible."

"I was never a part of the game," he corrected, huffing some, "At least not willingly. But it's no matter; my "game" is just fine now."

"If you say so."

Kaiba snorted, and he looked at Mokuba square in the fact before speaking, making sure his brother heard him clearly before rising from the table.

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but I was the one who had a dancer sleeping in his bed while you were alone in yours. I think a little less sarcasm would suffice. I'm not some hopeless bachelor, and you're no Casanova, Mokuba."

He smirked at his brother afterwards, letting those thoughts stick in the boy's head before leaving the dining room. No doubt that thought would bother Mokuba for a while, since he didn't like thinking about his brother in a sexual context. Especially since the teenager wasn't getting any himself. Instead of saying anything back, Mokuba just crossed his eye brows and looked at Kaiba begrudgingly.

"I'll see you after school."

"Later, bro."

Going up the staircase, Kaiba finally left Mokuba alone. He was feeling better; his muscles were less cramp after getting up and moving around, and by the time he reached the bedroom again, Anzu looked more awake. Her eyes were still closed, but her breathing wasn't as deep, and the way she kept moving around the mattress was a good indication that she was trying to get more sleep but couldn't find a comfortable position.

So wanting her to be more settled and not quite feeling like rising yet, Kaiba moved up against her back, laying down next to her as he waited to see if she would still. Which she did, after grumbling and hiding her face into a pillow, from whatever embarrassment she was feeling, but he didn't think too much of it.

"You should wake up," he said, his words tickling the back of Anzu's neck, "Before the morning is lost and you end up wasting an entire day in bed."

"Shuddup Kaiba, I'm tired. I had to carry your drunken ass up the stairs."

"You did no such thing."

He snorted, but didn't become offended since he was rather incapacitated the night before. It must have been annoying for Anzu to deal with, but nothing she hadn't done to him before. If anything, it was only fair he had a chance to let loose after so many nights caring for Anzu, who couldn't keep her alcohol down for shit…

"I already had breakfast, but I could have something sent up if you're hungry," he said, trying to tease her into rising, "The chef can make whatever you'd like."

"Even pancakes?"

"If that's what you desire."

One large blue eye opened at that, and Kaiba could see Anzu twist her head around as the other opened as well. They were big, in comparison to his, and the color was far lighter. Peering into them, he tried not to stare, but usually Anzu was more closed off from being like that with him, and he couldn't help but relish the way she was looking at him. It was different.

"Are you feeling sick?" She asked. "I was sure you'd end up feeling hung over like crap after last night…."

"I am hung over," mumbled Kaiba, snorting a little, "But it's nothing I can't deal with. I've already drank some water and coffee, took a pain killer… The headache is nearly gone now. It was much worse when I just woke up."

"How long ago?"

"Maybe half an hour?"

Anzu looked away, and Kaiba pressed his face alongside her neck before sighing. It was nice while it lasted, but her vulnerability wouldn't stay forever. Now she was avoiding eye contact, but he didn't let that bother him too much. Taking hold of her waist with one hand, he got himself comfortable before closing his eyes and thinking over what to say.

"I would have waited to eat with you," he explained, "But I didn't know when you'd wake up, and I didn't want to force you before you were ready. Besides, you're not exactly a morning person anyways."

There was a snort of indignation, but that was all.

"Anzu," Kaiba pressed on, "I'm sorry for bothering you while drunk... But I meant every word I said last night. I'm going to nag you and remind you each time we're together so you know I'm serious. If you went away, I'd chase after you. I'd use every single damn resource I have to come find you and convince you to come back to me, and unless you told me you could never be happy with me, I'd keep trying..."

"You make this so hard…"

She turned around and Kaiba stared at her eyes, moving closer as she touched his arm with one hand. Anzu seemed almost sad in a way, her brows crossed in what could be taken as frustration, but instead of doing anything, Kaiba just stared. He looked at her for a long time waiting for a better answer before she finally gave out one.

"I don't know what I want yet."

"Well, let me ask you this, Anzu. Do you want me?"

"Yes?" Her voice sounded weak, and the grip she had on his arm grew stronger as she moved closer to Kaiba's face, "It's not so simple. You're throwing everything off, I had a plan, and you're asking me to give up everything I wanted since I was a kid-"

"-If you want something bad enough, you wouldn't let that stop you."

"Kaiba, it's not that simple."

He frowned when she turned around, pressing her head against the pillow, her brown hair was cascading down it. Using his hand, Kaiba moved it out of the way as he shifted to be closer, laying with his chest against her back as he made the grip around her waist more steady. It wasn't like Anzu was trying to avoid contact, but she came off like she didn't want to deal with something. And Kaiba was tired of playing games as Anzu couldn't make up her mind over her feelings.

"Anzu," he said, his voice growing firmer from irritation, "Either you want to dance or you want to be with me. If there was some way to make both things work, I would do anything within my power to make that happen for you, but we both know that's not possible. I can't leave Japan. Not for good. And I don't want you leaving me for a half desired dream you can't make up your mind over."

"-But no one thought I'd be able to manage it. Everyone thought I was being stupid, trying to become a dancer. Only Yugi ever encouraged me; even my parents thought I was going to fail, and now I know I'm one step closer to proving them all wrong…"

"Is it worth being right at the risk of being unhappy?"

She didn't answer back. And sighing, Kaiba closed his eyes again.

"You can be so stubborn, Mazaki. I always knew you'd get what you wanted, I had no doubt in my mind you could be a professional ballerina if that was what you wanted. But sometimes things change. Unforeseeable events happen, and I've been guilty of not wanting to change, but we both know how foolish that is… Don't push me away because I wasn't a part of some grand master plan."

"Kaiba, I'm not trying to," she answered back, her voice becoming more assertive, "But you're asking so much from me. If I gave New York up, I'd be giving up everything. I can't be with you and dance. We both know that… The lifestyle doesn't allow for it."

"Then maybe you should readjust your plans."

How many times did they need to discuss this before something more happened? It was frustrating Kaiba, that Anzu refused to let him go, but wouldn't move forward either. She wanted him, he knew this, but she was too afraid to commit to her feelings and do anything more than what she was doing already. Not unless something drastic happened, would she finally let go and realize for herself that she did love him. Kaiba knew she loved him, and as long as that was obvious, he wasn't going to let her go willingly.

"…Anzu, I'm not Atem. I'm not going to disappear on you anytime soon."

There was angry huffing in response to that, but Kaiba tried soothing down Anzu's temper by stroking her hair, breathing in her scent while her eyes bore into the wall in front of her. She seemed tense, her body ceased to be lucid anymore, but maybe if they just got everything out in the open, it would finally end.

"Don't act like this isn't a part of the problem, Anzu. I know you're under the impression that as soon as you let this wall down, I'm going to abandon you or change my mind. I assure you that is not going to happen. You have no idea how hard this is, trying to talk to you and convince you to say with me…

I know I'm not perfect; I've been rude to your friends and more arrogant than I have a right to be, but we could be happy together. You make me a better person, whether I want to change or not, and I don't feel so miserable when you're around."

He felt so silly for admitting that much, but Anzu turned her head in reply, looking at him. It was enough of a response for Kaiba that he opened his mouth to speak again, trying not to bother himself over admitting his feelings.

"I refuse to let you run off because of what happened in the past. I can be as stubborn as you are, Mazaki, and if you push me to extremes, I'll-"

He felt a finger on his lips, his threat cut off immediately as Anzu turned around with a cross look on her face. She looked like she was trying to keep from smiling, but her eyes were hard with intensity as Kaiba shut his mouth, looking back just as intently.

She removed her finger after a minute and before Kaiba could ask what she was doing; Anzu looped her arms around his neck and kissed him. It took his breath away, he was not expecting that, but Kaiba certainly wasn't against it either. He pressed his lips back against hers in earnest, closing his eyes as he tried controlling his breathing before opening them again. Unlike times before, Anzu wasn't being too shy around touching him, her face pressing against Kaiba's nose awkwardly before he finally broke the contact.

They just looked at each other for a moment. Neither of them knew what to say, and after a minute of intense eye contact, Anzu started to squirm away as if about to get out of bed, but Kaiba grabbed her arm, pulling her back before taking hold of the side of her face.

"You need to make up your mind," he said, using his free hand to hold onto her hip while she wasn't trying to break free anymore, "Anzu, I can't deal with you pushing me away and then coming back. It's too much."

"I'm not trying to," she replied back, looking up at Kaiba's eyes before glancing away from some sort of discomfort he wasn't aware of.

"But you are. And you won't even look me in the face, Anzu please."

Slowly turning her face back at him, she sighed and touched Kaiba's face, moving the bangs on his forehead before resting her head more deeply on the pillow. She wasn't going anywhere, her body was pretty much pinned on its back, but that didn't seem bother her too much.

"Your eyes are too intense," she said, brushing a fingertip down Kaiba's nose before reaching his lips, "The color is so dark and I feel like you're trying to look into me."

"Maybe because I am?" Kaiba answered back, now looking at the finger that was tracing his face instead of Anzu's bright blue eyes. He found her touching game strange, he usually didn't allow people to do that with him, but once it stopped at the back of his neck, he relaxed again.

"What were you doing?'

"Studying your face," Anzu replied back, smiling a little now, "You have such a strong profile, with that nose of yours. I couldn't help it."

Snorting in response, Kaiba almost felt self-conscious, but wouldn't allow himself to. Yes, he had a rather noticeable nose, thanks to his mother's European influence. He couldn't help that it stuck out a bit more than usual, and it wasn't until Anzu flicked him there hard with her fingers to get his attention back, did he come back to reality.

Now his nose was smarting.

"Why would you do that?" He asked, rubbing the tip while frowning some, "You shouldn't just hit people randomly on the face."

"It was sticking out, I couldn't help it."

Before Anzu could begin laughing though at Kaiba's expensive, his expression changed as he moved under the blankets, tackling Anzu down against the mattress and tickling her repeatedly. It wasn't something he'd done since he was a kid with Mokuba, but it certainly worked still. Anzu was now screaming to be let go of, laughing between her threats of violence, and it wasn't until she kicked him did Kaiba stop, letting go and moving away before giving a smug grin.

"And that's why you shouldn't hit my nose," He warned, poking Anzu's exposed stomach before his hand got swatted away, "I'm not against repeats."

Kaiba moved under the covers again, but this time instead of tickling Anzu, he held onto her hips, brushing against her stomach with his lips before listening for a response. She didn't say anything, and he couldn't see her under the covers of the bed, so taking that as a cue to proceed, he kissed along her abdomen several times, amused by how her skin twitched in response to his light touches.

She was so sensitive. Maybe that was why she was such a great master of her own body, Anzu seemed so in-tuned to everything. When he started playing with the hem line of her underwear, she started to shift a little uncomfortably, but Kaiba just rubbed on her stomach a few times, kissing the inside of her thighs before she seemed to settle down enough to pull them off.

It had been a while since he had the chance to initiate anything between them. He could smell her arousal, her sex wasn't too far away from his face, and the musky scent didn't turn him off in the slightest. If anything, it only made him more settled on what he wanted to do; slowly using his hands to part her legs enough that he could place is head comfortably between them.

He could tell by now that he was more than just a little aroused himself, and using one hand to steady Anzu's stomach while using the other to pull back her outer labia, he found her blushing clitoris right at the opening of her sex. She was probably very nervous, by how her legs were shaking a little, and pulling the covers out so Anzu could actually see what he was about to do, Kaiba decided to sooth her just a little.

"Don't whack me in the head for trying," he teased, flashing his blue eyes up at her, "You smell amazing and I just want to do this."

Anzu looked slightly confused, like she wasn't sure what to say, but since she didn't try moving him away, Kaiba just lowered his face before taking her into his mouth.

He used his tongue to play with her, as he felt her hands come into his hair and breathing begin to become raspier. Her legs were no longer relaxed but shaking, as Kaiba continued kissing and sliding his tongue against her to make the girl quiver in response. It was a little difficult, when her thighs settled against his head, and he had to take a few deep breaths to keep his breathing steady before sucking on her whenever Anzu got too excited, but he was enjoying himself.

Kaiba wanted her to enjoy it. Have her relaxed and wanting, so if their time together progressed into something more, it wouldn't be a disappointment for her. He liked Anzu, immensely, and satisfied with her taste as she became wet and he felt like his head was becoming far too dizzy from the lack of air, he finally parted, bringing up his head and resting it on her leg while panting a little.

They were both out of breath. And looking back up at Anzu's face, he could see that her eyes were closed and her mouth was open. It was too arousing a thought not to take advantage of that, moving up back so she was underneath him, and taking hold of the side of her face, he kissing her lips, giving her a taste of herself before stroking her tongue with his own.

Closing his eyes, he felt her tense up a little, maybe from feeling his own arousal or just from the taste, but before he became worried, she had her arms around his neck again. When he opened his eyes to watch her, Anzu's were open as well, and before he was aware of what he was doing, he could feel his erection sliding against her moist sex before she moved to part her legs further, his breath caught once he felt himself surrounded by slick heat.

He had to stop for a moment before continuing. His body was quick to react, and using one hand against the mattress to steady himself, he just waited for everything to die down before bending down to kiss Anzu's face, who was watching him while biting her lip. She didn't seem uncomfortable, but maybe slightly embarrassed, and taking the liberty to nibble along her neck and collarbones, he waited before doing anything more until she responded, her strong legs grasping at his hips as Kaiba took the hint to start thrusting.

Now that he didn't feel that overwhelming light sensation coming over him, everything just felt good. The heat, the wetness of her sex, how tight she felt around him, it was enough that Kaiba almost felt like he was going to become lost in her if he wasn't focusing his attention on her eyes. They were so bright, and a little puffy from being woken up early in the morning, but Kaiba wasn't put off from that.

No, he watched her face while reaching behind her back to unclasp her bra, which wasn't well done until Anzu helped pull it off, grinning once it fell to the ground. He liked the visual appearance of her breasts, how perfectly shaped and youthful they were. When he rolled his thumb under one nipple, it immediately hardened, and he could feel himself tense up just slightly from the sensation, bending down to suck with his mouth when Anzu didn't appear too put off by the gesture.

He just really liked touching her. It was new to him, and flicking his tongue along the sensitive tip, it only made Kaiba more excited to hear her moan a little in response. Predictably, she was trying to keep quiet like last time, and testing how far her self control could last, he began to intensify his thrusting, lifting his head to hide his face in her neck before sucking against the skin.

Her body was squeezing against him so tightly; he could feel his vision blurring white. It was becoming too overwhelming a feeling, her body clenching against him, and taking her hands into his, he lifted them over her head and intertwined their fingers before making a few last frantic thrusts, hearing his own moaning intermixing with hers before climax hit him and he couldn't do more than just shudder from the euphoria.

For a moment he was afraid he'd ejaculated too soon, and pulling out once he felt everything relax again with the moment passing, Kaiba moved to Anzu's side and continued to hold her hands. It was comforting, even for him, and glancing at her face several times, he could see that her eyes were closed shut, but her breathing was settling down and she didn't appear upset.

"Anzu" he said, finally breaking the silence, "I really like you. And I want you to stay with me, please."

He felt very foolish, doing whatever he could to convince her to stay, snuggling his face into her hair, but he couldn't help it. Kaiba for the life of him couldn't return to being indifferent after sharing something like that, and with all the heavy emotions he felt inside of him, he wanted an answer. Something that would end the conflict of Anzu's feelings, he could only do so much to make her stay with him.

"I can't just make up my mind right this second," she replied, gripping his hands tightly with her own, "Give me a week to figure this out. Don't ask me something like that right after…"

Sex. Really good sex. Better than the first time, in Kaiba's humble opinion, and just like before, he breathed in her scent while smiling to himself, glad that at least she seemed content with him. If she didn't enjoy him, she wouldn't be holding his hands with a death grip, and knowing Anzu wasn't going to admit anything unless bothered to, he took that as the confirmation he needed before closing his eyes.

"It's fine," Kaiba finally said back, "I'm tired and I was planning to go get you breakfast, but give me another hour of sleeping in. I can't be fucked to get up right now."

"I'm not even hungry yet," laughed Anzu, looking back at Kaiba's face before bumping her nose into his on purpose, "I can wait."

"Good." He was mumbling now, his face moving to hide itself in Anzu's hair, "And leave my nose alone, Mazaki…"

* * *

><p>Haven't written smut in a while without Septima, so that was fun. Thanks for reading, and please review. I like knowing what my readers want and enjoy from this story, and this an ending will be coming soon, it would be a better ending I think for everyone if I knew what you guys wanted to see settled before I bring this story to a close. Again, thanks for the support and I hope you all enjoyed this chapter.<p> 


	20. Chapter 20: Lebanese

"Anzu Mazaki, may I speak to you alone in my office?"

The request caught her completely off guard, but nodding her head, Anzu agreed to go. She was tired, her legs were sore, and her ankles and feet felt even worse. After taking a short break from dancing, Anzu could feel the weakness in her body, and watching the other dancers; she cursed herself internally for allowing herself to become so lazy.

A professional ballerina is an athlete, and then an artist. How could she expect to make it through her grueling work outs that lasted some five to six hours a day if she didn't put out just as much time in at the gym before class began for the season? It didn't help that she gained weight, a healthy amount that was supposed to already be there, and now Anzu knew she'd have to try losing it again without starving herself.

Everything about dance was painful. The training, the other girls who tried knocking her down, the instructors who called her fat, everything. Standing there in pointe shoes with sweat dripping off her face, she asked herself for the thousandth time again in her life why she was pursuing this? Why did she need to show everyone that she could do this?

All she was really doing was hurting herself.

When her instructor went into the office, she felt a sense of dread come over her. Anzu knew she wasn't at her best. Not like the season before, and after giving such a spectacular performance in New York, everyone was counting on her to be ready.

And she felt like she had let them down, and that was troubling for her.

Anzu caught her breath, bending down to grab a towel and drying off her face before taking a water bottle to her lips. She was dehydrated, but had worked through her thirst. Now she knew she'd be dealing with the worst cramps imaginable the next day, but that wouldn't stop her from coming to practice.

She didn't want to leave her instructor waiting for too long either, so biting her lip while feeling the pain coming through her feet as if she was walking on a bed of needles, Anzu strode through the office door, taking a seat as she waited to be addressed.

"Mazaki," started her instructor, "I know you've been working very hard. More so than many of the girls here because of your unique disadvantages. But as you can see, we are getting to that level of turning amateurs into young, professional ballerinas, and I don't think you're up for it."

"Sensei, I've been-"

"Mazaki, I know how hard you've been working. I've noticed, I don't pick favorites in my class. However, I also noticed that you've been distracted now. And you're a smart girl too; I don't see why you'd want this sort of life, the long hours of back breaking training and little fiscal reward when you could be so much more suitable for other work."

"This is what I've wanted since I was a kid," Anzu answered back in a hushed voice, "If you don't think I'm cut out, I'll show you-"

"It's not a matter of will, Mazaki. I know how stubborn you are. You're just… I don't think you'd be happy if you actually did make it. Ballerinas have short, brutal careers. You'll have no friends, no true friends... Everyone you know will be trying to show you up, and between working some six hours a day in a studio six days a week outside of performances and any secondary jobs to support your low income, you'll have no romantic life. Nothing. Only dance.

Do you really want that sort of lifestyle for yourself? You're a nice girl. There's a lot this world could offer you that would be more suitable for you.

Now I wouldn't tell you this if I didn't like you."

"I understand."

"Good."

The older woman rose up from her chair, fixing the bun she wore before looking back down at Anzu, who sat in front of her. Unlike the young girl, her joints were stiff and her feet were damaged beyond repair. She was already dealing with arthritis at her mid-thirties, and frowning at the sight of her student's disappointed face, she tried reasoning with her once last time.

"Mazaki let me be completely frank with you. The dancing world will destroy you. You have a five percent chance just like the rest of these girls of making it into a company, and after that, you'll be used up for close to nothing until someone else more talented comes along and snags your spot. You get hurt, and everything is over. You'll make no money, and unless some miracle happens and you become a soloist that attracts crowds, it'll all be over before you even make it to thirty. Just trust me and let this childhood dream go… You may leave. That's all I have to say on this."

That was not the kind of talk Anzu was expecting, but it was far better than what she had been imagining in her head. Walking out of the room and back into the studio, she felt somewhat numb now that her instructor had approached her over it. The reasons she already knew for quitting, things she had been musing over for quite some time…

It would just be such a major disappointment. Anzu did not want to give up, she had never given up anything in her entire life, but… her instructor was right. A ballerina's life was short and lonely, and now she was realizing that maybe she didn't want that for herself.

And not because of Kaiba. Not completely. Sure, she had thought about quitting more recently because of his pleas to stay, but that was only another push that she'd been getting to stop. High school was over, and she had never been as devoted as a true professional was. Not after chasing her friends in those duels instead of practicing like she should have been some three hours a day…

Now it was showing. Her educational gap was immense, and the only thing getting her through was sheer will, and now even that was beginning to fade. The desire to win was gone, and standing alone now in the studio grabbing her duffle bag, Anzu stared at the barre for a while before shaking her head.

Maybe it was really time to let it go. Before it was too late and she'd end up hurting herself.

Getting on a bus to take her home, she sulked in her seat for a while, day dreaming her options. Her instructor was right; she was certainly smart enough to come up with other options, but none fascinated her quite like dance did. Could there really be anything out there that would be a suitable substitute?

She didn't know. Leaning against the window, her eyes started fading into her thoughts, and it didn't come quite as a realization that Ryou Bakura had taken a seat next to her until she caught his familiar scent, turning around and shocked to attention by a head of white hair and shinning brown eyes.

"You looked lost in thought," her friend said, carrying a bunch of psychology books in his lap, "I didn't want to interrupt you."

"No, you're fine. I just have a lot on my mind right now."

Anzu wasn't sure if she wanted to share her problems with Ryou of all people, they weren't exactly close, but she figured it would be better than just dwelling on her issues all alone.

"You see," she started, "I've wanted something for a long time, and I'm almost at that point that I might be able to get it… But something else happened too, something I also really want, maybe even more, but I'm afraid if I give my dream up for this new thing, I might be making a mistake… It might all end up falling apart, and then I'll have nothing."

"That's quite a problem then…"

Ryou's voice became silent as he thought it over, and Anzu turned her head to watch him, studying his expressions. He seemed almost amused by the situation, and smiling at his companion easily before she scowled back, he spoke in his mild-mannered way of his.

"Does this have anything at all to do with a boy?" He asked, smiling slightly before brushing back his white hair, "It's not that hard, Anzu. Just do what your heart wants, and everything will be all right."

Just blinking at him, Anzu wasn't sure if she should be pacified by that sort of an answer, but Ryou only turned his face to look at the front of the bus, taking out some candy before sucking on taffy.

"I watch people a lot," he explained, "And I guess that comes with being a bit of a loner, and I noticed that you always want people to rely on you. It makes you feel needed, and if you want to be with someone and it's causing you this much distress, then you shouldn't fight it. I mean you gave up dance to chase after Yugi and Jonouchi in high school…"

"That was different. They needed me," she explained, "Yugi was my best friend and-"

"I don't see the difference at all," laughed Ryou, flipping the candy with his tongue, "Isn't this man also your best friend? If you cared for him, I'd hope so."

"He is my best friend," Anzu finally admitted more to herself than Ryou, "And I want to be with him… But I feel like if I did that, people would judge me."

"Who cares what people think? Unless he's some bum, I don't think anyone would. Your friends would be happy for you."

"My friends don't like him."

Ryou turned to look at Anzu in the face, his eyes expressive and slightly shocked as Anzu stared at her feet. She wasn't sure if she wanted to explain just with whom she was lamenting a relationship over. Would Ryou even believe it? Maybe, since he didn't see people for their exterior shells, but even hearing that Kaiba had deep romantic thoughts about a person might come as a bit of a shock to him.

"Well, who is he?" Asked Ryou, completely oblivious, "I'm sure Yugi can't really dislike anyone... Maybe Kaiba, but he's kind of a dick."

Anzu just stared at him. And figuring out what was going on by silence alone; Ryou stared back in shock, unable to comment before turning his attention back towards the front of the bus, watching his stop disappearing behind him but too focused on the discussion to leave just yet.

"You can't be serious, Anzu."

"I'm completely serious."

"That's an interesting turn of events then," laughed Ryou, now sounding more nervous than amused, "I guess I can understand your hesitation."

There was an awkward silence when Anzu said nothing else, and they sat next to each other for some time before anyone did anything. Instead of speaking though, Anzu just rose up from her spot to leave. Ryou got up as well, following after as he admired her neighborhood with the planted cherry trees in front of the apartment buildings. Turning around to watch her companion following behind, Anzu almost felt like telling him to go home, but she almost never saw any of her old friends. And even if she felt like she was being teased, over reacting would not do her any good.

"Any reason you're following me home?" She asked instead, hurrying over to her apartment door once she reached the lawn.

"I went grocery shopping this afternoon," replied Ryou, still smiling, "And I thought maybe I could cook something for you since you seem so out of sorts. I would appreciate the company, and I think you'll like what I'm about to make."

"Sure."

Tonight wasn't a Burger World night, so unlocking the door and turning on the living room lights, Anzu let Ryou instead. He immediately closed and locked the door, dumping his books onto the kitchen counter along with his back pack before taking out bags of food, Anzu raising an eye brow in amusement while the boy got her kitchen ready.

"Do you often do this sort of thing?" She asked, taking a seat up on the counter before picking up a jar of spice, "This doesn't look like Japanese cooking."

"It's not. I really like Middle Eastern food; it reminds me of my father."

He took out a package of chicken breast and began slicing it, putting it on a hot frying pan before seasoning it with all sorts of exotic spices until the room was heavy with it. Then he used the rice cooker, making some sort of yellow rice for the meal, and began with some Greek yogurt for what Anzu could only assume might be the sauce. There were bread loaves, and hummus, which she liked, and Ryou seemed completely comfortable doing everything himself.

"So," he finally said, after finishing with the meat and piling it on top of a bed of rice, "Do you like Kaiba then?"

"I guess so."

"You guess?"

There was laughing, and Anzu scowled before grabbing her plate of food, dipping the bread into the hummus and stuffing it into her mouth as Ryou shined his bright eyes at her. She didn't like being teased, and it was odd talking about her relationship with someone who wasn't, well, wasn't Kaiba himself.

"Anzu, you have nothing to be all defensive about. He's kind of an ass, but he's also good looking and smart, so it's not like anyone's going to think less of you for having feelings… I mean, we're all adults now, I'm sure if Yugi or Jonouchi found out, they wouldn't even care-"

"Yugi would be heart broken."

Taking a bite out of the food, Anzu was immediately quieted by the taste. It was different, more flavorful than the typical Japanese fare she was used to, and the chicken was thickly sliced and cooked in garlic with lemon, with the hint of olive oil and herbs in the background, it was overwhelmingly good. She couldn't get enough, dipping the bread into the yogurt sauce, and finally feeling better at enjoying a more filling meal, Anzu thought over her situation again.

"It's just," she started, avoiding Ryou's peering eyes, "Yugi and I have a strained relationship, I guess you could say. Ever since the other Yugi left, he's been trying to prove himself… Like he's enough now and I can't deal with it."

"I don't quite understand what you're getting at Anzu."

"He's trying to win me over," She finally announced, her face turning read from raising her voice, "And I don't want him. I keep trying to give him hints when I see him that I don't have feelings for him, but he doesn't get it. And I don't want to hurt him, but I can't pretend that I can love him like I loved the one who left. He's not the same person, he knows this, and I don't get how he can think that showing up in New York with flowers was going to win me over.

I just want my old friend back. And I want to get over him… Atem…"

"So," said Ryou rather quietly, "What does this have to do with Kaiba?"

"Well…"

Stuffing her face again with food, Anzu looked at Ryou before swallowing. Did she really want to dump her suppressed feelings on her clueless friend? It wasn't like Ryou had planned on coming to play romantic counselor, and he probably didn't want to hear about her personal problems… But then again, Anzu was feeling overwhelmed with everything, and maybe he could clear her mind up a little.

"I guess I'm afraid that if I take a chance with him, he'll eventually leave me. I wasn't enough for Atem," she said quietly, glancing at her food before sighing, "And if I leave dance for this, I just want some sort of reassurance that I'm making the right choice. The only person who's ever always been there for me was Yugi, but I just can't make myself care for him like that. I thought I could maybe, back years ago, but now I know I can't."

"That's quite a predicament then."

After Ryou had finished eating, he began clearing up the kitchen, washing the dishes and drying them while Anzu sat there in silence. She really did look troubled, the way her eyebrows were crossed and how she hugged her left knee while her chin rested there, but he thought maybe she was thinking too much about it. He didn't know much about relationships, but he did know how it felt to be alone and unhappy.

"Anzu," he finally interrupted, having cleaned everything after a good twenty minutes of silence, "I think you know what you want, you're just too afraid to get it."

"It's not easy to just give up."

"But you're not giving up," reasoned Ryou, shaking his head, "Not really. If you thought you could be happy dancing alone, you wouldn't be dwelling over this so much. Even I know how strenuous that lifestyle is, and like I said before… You don't like being alone. Anzu, you need to do what will make you happy instead of showing people what you can do at the risk of being miserable.

If it fails, well, at least you can tell yourself you tried."

Looking into Ryou's eyes, she knew he was right. Intuitive as usual, he always seemed to know what was going on with everyone without ever showing any sort of indication that he was watching. Or maybe he was just good at simplifying things. Anzu didn't know just which one it was, but she did feel somewhat better.

Maybe there was a possibility of things working out.

* * *

><p>"Everyone, stop crowding around her!"<p>

The dancers were all huddled around their peer, Anzu one of them, and it wasn't until her instructor shoved her out of the way and bended down to see the girl's leg did her fears finally surface. She had just been practicing on the barre, trying to improve her balance en pointe while breaking in new shoes when one of the older girls screamed and fell to the ground, crying into a ball when everyone else ran to her side.

Now it was hushed, besides the girl's constant moaning from pain, and a few girls were whispering in the side lines, but not quite as much as Anzu was expecting.

"You might have broken your ankle; you'll need to get this x-rayed at the hospital before showing up tomorrow."

A stress fracture. It was something nearly all dancers faced at one time in their career, among other injuries, and frowning, Anzu immediately felt her stomach flop when her classmate was escorted out, unable to put any amount of weight on her left foot while two other girls helped carry her out into the lobby. Someone was going to drive her to the hospital, and once all the commotion ended, class continued.

Some of the girls were laughing. That was to be expected, one of their competition was going to be out for quite some time, especially if there was a broken bone. The pain would be too much, and their school wouldn't allow them to willingly work through injuries. Not like a professional company might get away with.

Anzu certainly knew the pain from having shin splints before, having to ice her legs while taking pain killers each night. They lasted for several weeks before her legs got strong enough to tolerate the physical exertion of dance, and afterwards, she had always been paranoid of injuring herself. It made each fall and stumble something of a scare, that she'd land wrong, and sitting down to check her feet, she noticed something bad.

Her new shoes were making her bleed. Shaking her head, Anzu couldn't believe it.

"Dammit."

It wasn't like they weren't made to fit. And after cutting down her toe nails and trying to mend them into being broken in, they were still too painful for prolonged use. The bruising along both of her feet were becoming more pronounced, and she could swear that they were also becoming swollen. Anzu never had broken toes or in-grown toe nails like some of the other girls, but the pain was still constantly throbbing.

Not until she got home later that day, could Anzu actually do anything about it. She worked through the discomfort, trying her best to not show it on her face while doing the exercises asked of her, but she knew she was once again not working at her best. Not as well as before, and closing her eyes from exhaust while relaxing on her bed, she didn't even watch Kaiba as he began looking over her cuts.

"Have your feet always been this fucked up?" He asked, using a damp rag to wipe the crusting blood off before using an antiseptic on the cuts to clean them, "No wonder you don't run around bare foot."

"Dancers wear slippers for a reason," Anzu said, frowning as she felt pressure along her heel, "And I'm fine. It'll heal."

"You're pushing it when you shouldn't."

When Anzu opened her eyes, she noticed that he wasn't even looking at her, his complete focus on getting the ace bandages out before wrapping her in them to keep the pain down from the open blisters. He seemed pretty disgusted by it all, but went through caring for it without complaint, and Anzu was rather impressed. She didn't even ask for the assistance.

"-There was a girl in my class today who fell."

She looked at Kaiba's face again, as he looked up at hers, before continuing, "They had to take her to the ER and get x-rays done. Her foot was broken; she had been ignoring the stress fractures all over her left foot, and I guess she placed too much weight on it and they all snapped."

"When will she be able to dance again?"

"I don't think she will," answered Anzu back, "She'll be out of practice by the time she's done with physical therapy, and she's too old to get back into the company after several months rest. I've never seen anything so bad before."

By the look in Kaiba's eyes, she could tell that he was trying to tell her that it wasn't worth going through the pain for something like "dance", but she looked away. At least he wasn't verbalizing his concern, and sighing, she already knew that her body was in pain on an almost daily basis now.

After taking that break, Anzu just couldn't jump back into things as quickly as she thought she could. Everything hurt, she probably had some shin splints again to deal with, and once Kaiba placed on a pair of foot braces, Anzu finally spoke up.

"Would you mind icing my legs?"

He shook his head, getting up and disappearing into her kitchen where she stored the ice packs in the freezer. When he came back, Kaiba broke them and placed each on one of Anzu's legs, moving so that they were resting on his lap before using his hands to massage her left calf muscle.

"You know," he said, interrupting the silence, "If you wanted me to, I'd do this for you every night."

"I know that, Kaiba."

His eyes looked serious, but Anzu couldn't help but smile, feeling better now that her body wasn't so tense from discomfort. The pain wasn't so bad as times before, like when she bruised her leg from falling, but she certainly didn't feel up to par.

"And I'm not helpless."

"I'm not insinuating that you're helpless, Anzu," he said back rather snippily, "I'm just letting you know that I care."

Snorting, Anzu just closed her eyes again and stopped talking. Sitting there feeling slightly unsure of how to feel, she didn't really know just how tired she actually felt until the ice packs were numbing everything and the pain was dissipating. The ibuprofen helped as well, but Anzu knew she had been avoiding getting looked at. Whatever news the doctor would tell her probably wouldn't be welcomed.

Kaiba was probably tired too. He had appeared late and without calling ahead, as usual, with food in hand. Take-out sushi rolls with rice and different kinds of sauces, which Anzu ate with him in bed before she went to taking off her socks, showing off her hideously bruised feet and catching Kaiba's eye before she could shove him away.

Even her own parents didn't give so much thought to her injuries, and now waiting an hour for the ice to do its magic, Anzu thought about talking, but didn't. Her mind was blanking from lack of rest, and Kaiba seemed just as subdued probably from his own exhaust.

She could feel him shifting on the mattress, lying down beside her while taking of his coat. One of his hands fell back to her leg, rubbing a thumb against her thigh, before he sighed.

"I know what you're about to say," said Anzu, opening her eyes and looking down at Kaiba's frowning face, "So you don't even have to start. I'm going to quit dance as my major this term and change it to my minor. I don't have to dance professionally; I can do something else…"

"Are you sure."

"What choice do I have?"

"You always have a choice, Mazaki," argued Kaiba, "It's just a matter if you like your options or not. You could become a dancer, but we both know you'll be too busy for a relationship and it wouldn't work if you moved overseas. There's only so much I can do, and I know how hectic life would be for you, I'm not ignorant of the obligations you'd be committed to.

Or you could stay with me. I'm not perfect, and I know I piss you off more times than not, but… I'd like to think that I could at least make you not regret taking a chance at staying together. It's not what you originally wanted, and we don't always get along, but you make me happy, and I'm trying to make you happy too, if you'd just let me."

"You've said this before…"

"Then I'll say it again."

They just stared at each other for a minute, Kaiba's gaze becoming too intense for Anzu's liking before she broke contact first, taking off the ice packs before throwing them in the bathroom sink. Tomorrow she could deal with them, right now she was too tired to think, and while her legs were still numb, she wanted to try to fall asleep.

Walking back to bed, she watched Kaiba from the corner of her eyes get undressed. He seemed rather strained, his face somewhat tense, but giving no further verbal indication of being upset, he just silently took off his clothes before getting under the sheets, mumbling something about the mattress not being as good as his. It made Anzu laugh, and getting in after him, she punched his shoulder before turning away on her side to sleep.

"You shouldn't hit people, Mazaki, it's impolite."

"Just be thankful it wasn't your nose this time."

That rewarded her with a snort, and she could feel him turning around to sleep against her before he became still, his arm around her waist and breathe meeting her ear lobe each time he exhaled. It didn't even bother her, and if he hadn't moved closer, Anzu would have been a little self-conscious over it. She didn't like that she cared so much now, but what was the point of sharing a bed if they weren't going to be near each other?

"You shouldn't hate on my nose so much," grumbled Kaiba's belate response, his voice becoming far sleepier by the second, "I can't help the shape of my face."

"I don't hate your nose, Kaiba."

"It's not like I would even care if you did."

She could feel him poking her in the back of her head with it, on purpose, and swatting his face away, Anzu turned onto her back before squinting her eyes in the darkness, not quite seeing her companion but very well aware that he was near her.

And finding his eyes in the darkness, she quickly found where his nose had to be, and flicked him there before turning onto her stomach to avoid whatever retaliation he thought of for being assaulted. He seemed more annoyed than vengeful though, cursing the pain before groaning, lying back down with his head on her back before taking another long exhale.

"Kaiba," Anzu said, turning her head towards him, "I haven't been honest with myself. I've been trying to hold onto things that I couldn't be for a long time, in hopes that they'd just work out, but that can't happen. I know it's impossible. And I'm not talking about dance, but a lot of things…"

Namely one thing in particular, but she didn't want to ruin the mood with names.

"If I just learned to accept that, I could be happy. With you."

"It's just a matter if you want to or not then," Kaiba answered back.

"Well, I do."

She couldn't see it, but he smiled at that, kissing her back lightly before moving to lie next to her. He still had his arm around her, and as she shifted to her side to sleep under his chin, Anzu could feel the drowsiness threatening to steal her away into the night and Kaiba was probably feeling the same too. He wasn't usually so calm.

"Then I guess there's no issue that warrants staying up any later," he said, his eyes closing and breathing slowing down before falling asleep, "Good night."


	21. Chapter 21: Dessert

I haven't worked on this story in a long time, but a very excited anon asked me in all caps when I'd post another chapter, so here it is. Tumblr stalking for the win! Also, I apologize with anything here sounds funny or off. I haven't written anything on these two in months.

Enjoy.

* * *

><p>It was almost closing time, and Anzu couldn't be any happier about that fact as she waltzed around Burger World finishing up for the night. Unlike the night before, she didn't have to stay with the manager wiping down tables and mopping the floors, but instead got to leave as soon as the last customer left and the front doors were locked. Being able to leave early wasn't the only exciting thing on her mind, however. She had plans to get to Kaiba Corporation before he left the office, to visit Kaiba as a surprise.<p>

He'd given her a pass ID, in case she ever needed to see him, and she figured security wouldn't kick her out even if she came around nine to the office to see him. Kaiba said he would be working late, which usually meant not coming home until around eleven, and not wanting to sit around her apartment stir crazy waiting for him to arrive; Anzu made up her mind to do something nice for him.

The buses were still running thankfully, and changing out of the cheap uniform once the time came to leave, Anzu headed downtown, running in heels before stopping by an interesting looking cake shop. She would have missed having dinner with Kaiba, but since she wasn't dieting anymore and could stand to gain a few pounds, Anzu certainly wasn't going to look past some dessert.

Looking at the different bake goods they had to offer, she didn't find anything immediately that appealed to her. The desserts generally looked more appealing than they tasted, compared to the more sugary stuff back in New York, but ice cream was another matter completely. Black sesame ice cream in particular would probably be more appealing, for the nutty flavor and distinctively Japanese origin instead of the pseudo European desserts that just failed to do much for her.

Buying a pint, Anzu carried it happily out of the store with two plastic spoons, ready to find the Kaiba Corporation building. It was right in the middle of the city, which made it easy to figure out. The huge, bright letters of KC were in the sky and the building itself was huge. Kaiba Corporation was a beacon, for as long as anyone could remember, and heading towards it, Anzu couldn't help but smile.

Hopefully her treat would be thawed out enough to eat easily once she got there. It was still a bit warm most days, so the dessert wouldn't go unappreciated, and she easily got to the entrance of the corporate building, where two guards stood. They were staring at her coldly like Anzu was some threat in her trench rain jacket and heeled shoes, but once she flashed her ID badge, they waved her inside.

She wasn't exactly sure where she was going, though. No one was around, or at least not anyone who could help. The security team was all in suits with wires hanging off their ears, and they looked too busy to be bothered with, which was fine by Anzu. She planned on wandering around Kaiba Corporation until she finally bumped into Kaiba's office. If Kaiba was planning to leave, early he would have texted.

Which he hadn't done yet.

There was an elevator in the lobby, and deciding to just go all the way up to the highest floor, Anzu gasped a little when it started moving. The sides were made of glass, and she could see each level pass by as she headed up towards the last floor. It gave her slight vertigo, and she wandered how the staff dealt with it when they had to use it each and every day.

Maybe they had a less showy elevator. She hoped for their sake that was the case.

Once she managed to get up top, she was pleased to see easy signs that led to the executive office. Following them, she noticed a few janitors cleaning and the security guards walking by. Kaiba must have been really paranoid to have so many around, but then again, Kaiba Corporation had a bad history of security breaches. Too many people trying to take over. Concerned, Kaiba must have stepped up his efforts to keep things running smoothly, and heading down the lobby past the general seating area, she crossed through several offices before making it to the very end.

The spot where the front desk staff must have usually worked was completely empty. No one was there answering phone calls or assisting with people waiting for meetings. There was just the beautiful modern podium and the steel emblem of the Blue Eyes White Dragon behind it, one of many Anzu saw around the building.

Kaiba certainly had a thing about those dragons. His obsession was legendary, and snorting over the choice of décor, Anzu walked past it before going back behind the counter.

There were two empty desks right in front of the doors that had to lead to Kaiba's office. He must have let his assistants go home already. Computers turned off and desks cleared of paper work, it was like no one actually worked there, except for the small picture one desk had. A pretty dark-haired woman and what looked like her son. Anzu pondered over it, but then she heard someone clearing their throat.

"I was just looking!" said Anzu nervously, trying to smile to appease the guard, "I'm on my way now."

He didn't say anything back, but just turned away and left without a word. Whatever. Once his back was facing her, Anzu just stuck out her tongue at him before opening one of the steel doors, walking into darkness except for the glass skyline towards the back of the room and the glowing of a computer monitor.

She could barely make out Kaiba, who was typing furiously on his computer. He seemed busy, more focused and concentrated than Anzu had ever seen him since Battle City. Instead of even greeting her, he continued working after looking up once, a little surprised by the way his eyes widened, but nothing else hinted at him paying Anzu any attention.

"I brought a dessert," she interrupted, taking a seat on the empty portion of the desk before taking the ice cream out of the plastic bag and opening the top, "since we missed out on dinner."

"I got to finish these programs", replied Kaiba, not looking up, "I've been trying to get this done since noon. And if I stop, I'll lose my train of thought."

"What kind of programs?"

"An improved holographic generator. It allows duel monsters to interact and become attached to their player by how many times they are used in a duel. The duel disk remembers the player's favorites and from there, creates a relationship with that card to the user. It would completely change the nature of the game, having monsters being loyal to the duelist, but it requires an expansive matrix just for the graphics alone, and trying to engineer an AI program is a headache..."

His face looked tense, illuminated by the screen of the computer. For a few seconds, he just stared at the monitor before turning his attention back to typing programming codes. Sighing in frustrating, Anzu didn't appreciate being ignored over work, even if it was important. The noise of her exhaling did nothing to stray Kaiba's concentration, so she slowly took off her jacket and dumped it on the back of his chair.

Still didn't work, though. He didn't seem all that distracted from her being in the room with him, and his eyes just continued staring at the computer without even glancing up at her face.

Well, Anzu wasn't going to settle with that. It was already close to ten and she wanted to go home. He could get back to his work the next day, like what normal people did, and trying to gain his attention, she slipped her shirt off over her head and pulled down her skirt, only wearing light blue lace underwear beneath.

Yet the man still hadn't noticed.

"Kaiba, why can't you just stop for a second?"

"Too busy," he replied back, "Just give me another hour."

Yeah, that wasn't happening. Getting completely fed up, Anzu snorted before unclasping her bra and throwing the entire thing at Kaiba's head. He appeared disgruntled, his face twisting in discomfort before pulling off the bra, but once he looked at it and realized he had underwear of all things on his head, he glanced at Anzu with a quizzical look…

And stared.

"I didn't come all the way from Burger World," announced Anzu loudly, moving up towards Kaiba's face while holding his chin with her thumb and forefinger, "For you to sit there and ignore me for another hour. Would you please have some dessert with me?"

"What kind of dessert?" He asked, smirking up at Anzu lazily before she flicked his nose, making him grab it while narrowing his eyes at her as she opened up the carton of ice cream.

"The kind you eat, genius."

"Tch," responded Kaiba back, rubbing the end of his nose dejectedly, "That doesn't narrow down my choices, Mazaki. I think you mean to say the edible kind. Because I could certainly find other things to devour that don't include your ice cream."

"Shuddup."

She knew she was blushing. Anzu just couldn't help it, and taking out a spoon to help cool down the warmth growing on her cheeks, she gasped when Kaiba grabbed her wrist, taking it and directing it into his mouth instead, taking a long time licking the ice cream before finally letting go.

"That was unnecessary."

"I'm just enjoying myself," he teased, grabbing the other spoon, "Don't be so cross because I'm not ignoring you now."

He was far too full of himself. Taking a large spoonful, Anzu stuck it into her mouth, not even trying to be sexy about it like Kaiba had. She was just staring at him with an irritated expression on her face, but it melted a little when she tasted the ice cream. It was so thick and creamy, the texture surprisingly smooth and clean, with the nutty flavor of black sesame in perfect balance. There was no strange after flavor, and taking another spoonful, Anzu started eating it rather eagerly, looking down at the almost black looking dessert in awe.

"I like green tea ice cream," said Kaiba, who looked like he was enjoying himself too, placing his elbows on the desk while scooping out the treat for himself, "but this is still pretty good too."

"I hoped you'd like it."

Kaiba seemed content. His grin was still on his face, but it looked more like a relaxed sort of smile than him trying to make sexual jokes at Anzu's expense. He usually didn't go that far, compared to someone like Jonouchi or Honda, who both shared the maturity of a thirteen year old boy, and Anzu eventually found herself taking the last spoonful, dumping the carton into the trash once they had finished.

Then, sliding off the desk and grabbing her bra off from the edge, she placed it back on before hooking the clasp, Kaiba passing her the skirt and shirt off from the floor. He also handed back her jacket, grabbing his own and the metal briefcase he seemed to take everywhere before leading them out.

They were heading towards the parking garage. Anzu was glad to be out of the brisk fall air; it was getting chillier now and she was happy that Kaiba would probably be driving her back to her apartment. With winter coming, she knew she wouldn't want to be hanging around waiting for buses to take her back home. Hopefully Kaiba would continue giving her a ride from Burger World once winter began…

When she sat down on the passenger side of the car, though, she suddenly felt her phone buzz. Picking it up, she was surprised to find a text from Yugi, "Just wanted to let you know I'm back home." Her stomach dropped and immediately Anzu felt guilty for it. Last time they'd seen each other, he tried to ask her out. It hadn't been a comfortable situation for either of them.

Feeling her face tighten from the memory, Anzu wasn't aware of Kaiba watching her as he turned the car on.

"Yugi's back in town…" she said neutrally.

Kaiba snorted before turning his attention back towards the front window of his car, "You don't look too happy about it."

"Well…"

How was she even supposed to explain herself? While she loved Yugi as a friend and wanted to have him back, she didn't want to deal with the awkward situation of knowing that Yugi's feelings for her were more than she could return. It wasn't what she wanted, and then Yugi would eventually find out about Kaiba…

That would only cause more grief.

"I'm really glad that he's back, he's my best friend after all…" Anzu started, clearing her throat, "But-"

"But?"

"-Last time I saw Yugi, he asked for a relationship. I hadn't seen him in months, and he just sprung it up on me like it was nothing. I don't know how he's dealing with the rejection, because we haven't talked since, and he doesn't know about you."

"I don't see how that would even matter," snipped Kaiba, rolling his eyes, "this is high school crap."

"Of course it matters, you jerk! You don't even like Yugi, Kaiba. If you had the chance, I know you'd use this as an opportunity to get back at him. Don't even lie and say you wouldn't."

Huffing, Kaiba didn't answer back. They both knew he had a mean streak, and while Anzu had already accepted that it would probably never change, she didn't want to enable it either. If Kaiba was going to be an ass, she wasn't going to stick around and watch.

"He's still one of my best friends. I just don't know how to handle this situation. He's going to find out, and when he does, he'll be crushed."

"Yugi's a big boy, I'm sure he'll get over it."

Anzu glared, not even caring that Kaiba was actually driving out of the building when they came onto the road and she punched him square in the arm. He hissed, narrowing his eyes at her before using his free arm to rub the injury.

"That hurt."

"Good."

Kaiba made an irritated noise before looking back at Anzu, still not over the punch, "How else should I feel about him showing up feeling sorry for himself? You might be friends with him still, but I'm not. His interruption into my life caused me a lot of grief, so I'm sorry if I'm not feeling all that sympathetic for him right now."

Now it was Anzu's turn to roll her eyes. She didn't know how to make Kaiba realize just how childish he was sounding. He didn't have to feel sorry for Yugi, but he didn't need to be a brat about it either.

"He's not your enemy, Kaiba. Yugi's been nothing but supportive of you, and you're just being as rude as ever."

"I don't like him."

"Oh?" Anzu asked, laughing a little as her face got heated up, "Why not? Because someone you couldn't beat a kid's game used to share the same body as him? It's a silly thing to be still caught up over."

"You don't seem quite over Atem either, Anzu. Pot calling the kettle black…"

She could feel herself becoming upset, and getting more frustrated by the minute, Anzu crossed her arms and stared out of the window. She couldn't exactly say she was over Atem. Sometimes he came into her thoughts and dreams, Anzu waking up confused and forgetting that the man had already passed over. It was a horrible, remembering that sense of loss, but Yugi must have been suffering even worse. They were much closer and Anzu couldn't even imagine the pain he must have been feeling after losing someone who was almost a part of his inner being…

"Yugi's my friend. I'm going to see him if he wants and I'm not looking for your permission to do so, either."

"I wasn't saying you needed it. You're an adult. You'll do what you want whether I like it or not."

Kaiba didn't sound so happy to hear that Anzu did plan on seeing Yugi, though. Well, he could get over it. They might have been dating, but Yugi had been friends with Anzu longer. She wasn't going to abandon him to let Kaiba keep her away like some toy he didn't want to share.

"I think you should come with me, Kaiba."

"What."

Anzu smirked, glancing back at him as Kaiba gave a look of disbelief before turning his eyes back towards the road.

"I think you should come with me. It would do us both some good. Yugi would want to see you, and it would be the grown up thing to do."

"I don't need your approval over what I choose to do and not do."

"But I know you want it."

Kaiba made the most indignant sounding sound of irritation Anzu had ever heard, but he didn't argue against that. They both knew how he was, and it was no surprise when Kaiba began to sulk in his seat.

"Fine," he muttered, narrowing his eyes at the cars in front of him while Anzu smiled, self-satisfied at Kaiba's reluctant admittance, "I'll come see him then."

"Good," answered Anzu back, texting Yugi back and smiling more broadly when she got a return message quickly, "He said he'll be happy to see you again. Oh, and Jonouchi will be there too."

"…_What_."


End file.
